It has been more than eight weeks since I arrived in France. Time sure goes by really quickly, doesn't it? It feels like it was just yesterday when I landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris! Immediately, I heard everyone speaking French... but I couldn't understand what they were saying! I could pick out some words, but they spoke so fast. This was my first clue that I still had a lot of adjusting to do.
I had to start learning from my experience. I learned a lot of French from class! However, it takes some work to use those words in the real world. I also wanted to fit in with the community. Knowing the language is the best way to make friends!
One of the first things I realized is that greetings are very important in French culture. It's an important sign of respect. If you don't say "Bonjour!" to the shopkeepers, prepare to be ignored! I remember when my friends and I went to the ticket office at the bus station. We needed to get our tickets for a trip we were taking. Here's how the conversation went, translated from French:
"Excuse me, we would like--"
"Good morning," the ticket seller said, interrupting my friend.
"We would like--"
"Ehem," the lady cleared her throat urgently. "Good morning!"
"Good morning?" my friend finally said.
"Good morning!" the ticket seller replied, finally.
