La Fin Du Debut

Now I remember. I was a browner at school. When I wasn't distracted, I did well in all my classes. But when I was pre-occupied with finding my way in life, I floundered and failed at school. That happened in later years. But I did find a life and got pretty good at it.

Now in French class, I am a browner again. I am on time, I understand the lessons, I do my homework, I am keen. I even talk to the teachers in French! during break time. I make mistakes and I am glad I make them, because those are the grammatical points and vocabulary that I remember.

So today ends my week of being a French student full time. It was exhausting and I am glad to stop. I need to absord and practise all that I've learned. But I miss the class already. As the class ended today, we sat there waiting for our homework assignment. The teacher shooed us out of the room.

Before we left, he said our school uses the new language methodology established by the European Council to set the language requirements and levels for our courses so that we can be assessed on an international academic standard. Our class has undoubtedly catapulted into the intermediate level no matter where we continue our French from this point on. We are no longer beginners.

Coming home today, I had trouble adjusting. I had to sort out my English words to ask the TTC server whether trains were running. When he answered, I tried to translate what he said into English, only to remember English is my best language and I understood him fine. But for about an hour after, I expected people in the street to speak French, and I did catch two people speaking it! They wondered whether they should walk or wait for the bus that wasn't coming!

I feel like I have a secret superpower.

And I lost four pounds this week. Yeah, French is good for me.