, I brought my laundry in to have it washed on July 31 and was told it wouldn’t be ready until September 1. I couldn’t understand why until they explain to me that everything shut down for the month of August when everyone takes their vacation.
And I went to a store to purchase a mattress and mistakenly asked for a “matelot”. She laughingly explained I meant a “matelas”. I had asked for a sailor!
As a Frenchman in the US, I had a symmetrical experience. I remember the first few times people would ask me " are you enjoying yourself " which, translated literally in French, would mean " are you giving yourself an orgasm?" Although I knew they did not mean to pry, it was hard not to look horrified.
Sadly, comes a day when everything feels normal. So, enjoy yourself in Paris while it lasts!
I cannot convey to you enough what a joy it is to awaken in the morning, brew a cup of whatever, crawl back into a warm bed and read your missives! I laughed out loud re this one! What a treat!! Such talent, such humor and a handful of wisdom thrown in. Whatever “big” means — in French or in English — it is in your future! Keep writing my dear……you’ve travelled a long road to get where you are today and there is no one, no one, who is more aware of the journey, its foibles and virtues, than you and no one who is more positive than you or who deserves to reap the rewards than you!
I’m sending you warm hugs from across the pond………much love, Judith
Susanna, wonderful to read your delightful piece on France. If any American deserves to be here with your observant and wry but humane sense of humor it is you. After all these years I am routinely amused by the names given to products or the names of companies and what they're in fact selling, and though I 'went native" years ago I still makes mistakes after all this time. But the French will forgive you because they love brilliance.
Thank you for the delightful posts and Mazel Tov on your brave move! You are making a somewhat gray time in my life much more intolerable. It has always been in my plans to move to Cagnes Sur Mer for s period of time and this gives me hope that I can do it, regardless of my rudimentary high school knowledge of the French language. Enjoy every moment, embrace the new, celebrate the unknown and please keep sharing!
Hilarious! My grade school German got worse after living in Germany for seven years, aided by the fact that when we moved there in 2017 Germans refused to speak German, but by the time we left a few months ago the German government had proposed legislation making English the official secondary language to attract foreign workers. No great loss. They are efficient and perfunctory in their sentence structure, but not very doux...
Delightful first-thing-early-morning reading, your latest post from Paris! Thank you again for sharing all the joys and humor of your experiences and encounters!
I love your newsletter. I myself moved to Paris in 1967 just after having graduated college. I had majored in French, but that did not prepare me for living there and speaking and understanding it. It was probably not until I’d been there two years that I felt fluent. I worked for an American investment bank on the Place Vendôme but lived in a studio in Neuilly so I was able to experience both worlds. I lived there for four years and had all French friends plus one German friend who worked with me. I am still in touch with them after all these years and we zoom regularly which enables me to keep up my French. For a while I kept going back every two years. My heart is still there. I dream in French.
Delightful to read about your (mis)adventures in France while I sit, also eating cheese, in my cozy kitchen in this politically-bright-red state, contemplating the chasm I feel between myself and my neighbors. It isn't always just a language that separates people. I am pulling for you and admire your bravery.
French Prayer:
May you go softly and sweetly,
Collecting patience,
As you cross the bridge of love
into your precious reactivity.
Not a bad summary of your post.
After having just moved to Paris
, I brought my laundry in to have it washed on July 31 and was told it wouldn’t be ready until September 1. I couldn’t understand why until they explain to me that everything shut down for the month of August when everyone takes their vacation.
And I went to a store to purchase a mattress and mistakenly asked for a “matelot”. She laughingly explained I meant a “matelas”. I had asked for a sailor!
Hi Susanna!
As a Frenchman in the US, I had a symmetrical experience. I remember the first few times people would ask me " are you enjoying yourself " which, translated literally in French, would mean " are you giving yourself an orgasm?" Although I knew they did not mean to pry, it was hard not to look horrified.
Sadly, comes a day when everything feels normal. So, enjoy yourself in Paris while it lasts!
Emmanuel.
Susanna,
I cannot convey to you enough what a joy it is to awaken in the morning, brew a cup of whatever, crawl back into a warm bed and read your missives! I laughed out loud re this one! What a treat!! Such talent, such humor and a handful of wisdom thrown in. Whatever “big” means — in French or in English — it is in your future! Keep writing my dear……you’ve travelled a long road to get where you are today and there is no one, no one, who is more aware of the journey, its foibles and virtues, than you and no one who is more positive than you or who deserves to reap the rewards than you!
I’m sending you warm hugs from across the pond………much love, Judith
Susanna, wonderful to read your delightful piece on France. If any American deserves to be here with your observant and wry but humane sense of humor it is you. After all these years I am routinely amused by the names given to products or the names of companies and what they're in fact selling, and though I 'went native" years ago I still makes mistakes after all this time. But the French will forgive you because they love brilliance.
Thank you for the delightful posts and Mazel Tov on your brave move! You are making a somewhat gray time in my life much more intolerable. It has always been in my plans to move to Cagnes Sur Mer for s period of time and this gives me hope that I can do it, regardless of my rudimentary high school knowledge of the French language. Enjoy every moment, embrace the new, celebrate the unknown and please keep sharing!
Bravissima Susanna. Doucement-doucement, I would like to try it in Roma's sidewalks.
Hilarious! My grade school German got worse after living in Germany for seven years, aided by the fact that when we moved there in 2017 Germans refused to speak German, but by the time we left a few months ago the German government had proposed legislation making English the official secondary language to attract foreign workers. No great loss. They are efficient and perfunctory in their sentence structure, but not very doux...
Delightful first-thing-early-morning reading, your latest post from Paris! Thank you again for sharing all the joys and humor of your experiences and encounters!
This is just so wonderful! I remember having a wonderful dinner with you in Paris so many years ago. You belong there, my friend. Sending all my love.
Charming essay. I loved learning the origin of the hour of the dog and wolf.
I love your newsletter. I myself moved to Paris in 1967 just after having graduated college. I had majored in French, but that did not prepare me for living there and speaking and understanding it. It was probably not until I’d been there two years that I felt fluent. I worked for an American investment bank on the Place Vendôme but lived in a studio in Neuilly so I was able to experience both worlds. I lived there for four years and had all French friends plus one German friend who worked with me. I am still in touch with them after all these years and we zoom regularly which enables me to keep up my French. For a while I kept going back every two years. My heart is still there. I dream in French.
May I join you?
Delightful to read about your (mis)adventures in France while I sit, also eating cheese, in my cozy kitchen in this politically-bright-red state, contemplating the chasm I feel between myself and my neighbors. It isn't always just a language that separates people. I am pulling for you and admire your bravery.
Entre chien et loup— love this! Congrats on an exciting move!
Ooooh lala