Classes

French is, well, hard.  But we are learning.  My friend Julie told me today, 'If you don't cry at least once a week in class, you probably aren't learning much.'  Hmmmm, I don't think that was encouraging!  But we are learning.  Today our teacher went over pronouns and how to know which one to use and where it goes in the sentence.  She said that we can not equate it to or translate it from English, but to memorize the rules and begin to apply it to our speech.  But there are so many pronouns and so many rules.... Pray for us to do this!

Let me back up.  The day usually begins with chapel given by a fellow student in French.  This talk is a  10 minute exercise for the speaker who has written out the speech, had it checked, and checked again, and practiced speaking it.  Most of the students who are here for the summer have not much more French than I do, but are able to speak about what God is doing and has done and will do.  I'd like to say I understand it all, but well, if I get half of it, I feel pretty good!

Then we walk upstairs. Our class meets on the 3rd floor, or the duexième étage, as the French say.  This week it has been hitting upper 80s or low 90s and there is no a/c here.  Needless to say, even with fans going, it is HOT in class.

Our teacher, Anne, gives us assignments to get us talking, increase our vocabulary and help our grammar.  She explains things in French and writes examples on the board.  I love it when she is rattling along and suddenly say, 'and whatever' in English. She is quick to smile and uses a lot of body language that seriously helps me!  I am adding vocabulary slowly but have a long way to go.

Our classmates: Etienne, Troy, Jerry, Sarah, Julia and Ariana.  We work together on dialogues and laugh with each other about our mistakes.  We struggle with pronunciation and grammar and vocabulary.  We took field trips- to an ancient forge, a fromagére (cheese maker), a local market, the Tour de France, and a café- all in French.  It was mind numbing, but just a taste of what the regular semester will be like.  Lots of homework to come.  In the meantime, we will study verbs, vocabulary, and and grammar, and keep muddling through talking to people in shops and around town.  It is getting better- slowly!

The Forge

The shepherd 

The cheese in the Cav

And samples to taste

YUM!

Tasting the local products from the market

Waiting for the Tour

Watching the bikes on TV after they passed our place.
Eliette in the front did an internship this summer as a teacher
at our school and worked with our class.

This is how they paint the lines!
On the way to class-

Our class and family after the bikes went by-

In class

After the cafe

Looking for a cool place to study in August.
Too bad it's not open many hours in August!