Qui peut voir La Tour Eiffel et ne pas tomber en amour?
I just received another email from Kate Heidemann, who is all excited about an imminent visit from her St. Louis family. Thinking that she was a poor university graduate working abroad in France, I offered her a few shekels for her enjoyment, but this is not to be (yet). I encouraged her to write an op-ed for the Post-Dispatch on how the French view “typical” Americans.
Kate is one of those people who, when she’s with you, makes you feel like you are the most important person dans tout le monde.
Ah, to be young and in France….
Dr. Chmiel,
So little time (this is my last computer session before I leave tomorrow!!) and so much to say …
Yes, you can use whatever you want from any of the emails I send you, ever. You don’t even have to ask. I looked at your blog and read a few of the exerpts. The little voice in my head said “Oh my God, what the heck did he see in your email to want to put it up on this page with so many other, more important messages?”
But I’m trying to tell that voice to shut up, because I know that’s what you’d want me to do ;)
I’ve been trying to write a bit while I’m here. Sometimes I get out paper at night–and I have lots of ideas and feelings that I want to capture!–but whatever comes out just doesn’t do anything justice. I think I’m out of practice. Anyway, I had never thought of sending something to the Post, but now that you mention it… I’d LOVE to!! Maybe that would give me a little direction for my writing.
I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO SEND ME A COUPLE CHAPTERS OF YOUR BOOK, if you don’t mind. I know that, for me, letting people read things you’ve written is scary–but it would mean a lot to me. Maybe it will inspire me to get back on the writing bandwagon!
Well, I’m off to Manchester tomorrow, and then on Thursday I will go back to Paris and meet my family there. We’re going to stay there for four nights (including New Year’s Eve, which might be a bit crazy!) and then we will head over to my region: Alsace-Lorraine, in the northeast. We’ll visit Thionville and Nancy and Metz…and my dad the history buff just can’t wait to see Verdun. Je suis amoureuse de Paris, bien sûr–qui peut voir La Tour Eiffel et ne pas tomber en amour? It sparkles every hour on the hour (I remember when I was in Paris for the first time, with Teresa and Amy, and we were wandering around eating crêpes at night, and suddenly I heard this blood-curdling scream and Teresa was jumping and pointing and the Eiffel Tower, which had just begun to sparkle…Amy insisted she was in love…).
Mais Paris est une grande ville, pleine de touristes, donc presque chaque fois que je dis quelquechose en français (dans un restaurant ou un magasin ou même dans la rue) les gens me répondent en anglais. C’est si frustrant!!! Je sais que mon français n’est pas tellement mauvais qu’ils ne peuvent pas me comprendre. Je suppose qu’ils sont habitués à parler anglais, à cause des touristes (et moi, je suis touriste, quand même)–et en plus peut-être qu’ils aussi veulent practiquer leur langue étrangère–mais je deviens de plus en plus découragéé quand ça arrive. Donc c’est pour ça que je suis heureuse que ma famille viennent aussi voir des autre villes plus petites.
So that’s what I’m doing with my family.
Dr. Chmiel, thank you thank you thank you for your offer of monetary support :) but I WILL NOT accept. Don’t feel bad!!!! You said I have given you so much, but perhaps you don’t realize how much you have given me. Already. Besides, I am getting along just fine–you wouldn’t feel so sorry for me if you could see what I DO spend my money on ( e.g., croissants au chocolat, café au lait, pretty French hats…). I couldn’t accept money with a good conscience, knowing that I’m really NOT scrimping to get by. But I will tell you this: If, in the future, I ever find myself in a truly tight situation, I will not hesitate to ask for help from a kind professor who wants me to be happy.
Bon, je vous laisse; joyeux fêtes, Dr. Chmiel!
Kate