Turning a corner

[Chief]

Been learning the language for over 12 months now.  Been watching TV5 for about 3-4 months.  Switched on at the weekend, and for the first time, i seemed to understand more and be confused by less of what i was hearing.  What a great feeling, and a real boost.  Spent hours in my french books after that.....

[Chris Head]

Bizarre isn't it? I spent the evening impersonating a barman at a PTA do....not a single prob with the language apart from some of the more colloquial stuff. The headteacher was laughing at the 'disaster' as she put it of my language when she first met us! I've yet to pick a book up, I always saw the people as a fanastic learning opportunity. I also remember the 'coolness' toward us at the first do we went to, last night was just the opposite, the took the peess out of me mercilessly and we all laughed together.

Where's the ibuprofen?[+o(]

[Llwyncelyn]

It is really funny in that this morning at the local bar and which I frequent we had a tasting of Wensleydale and Stilton against two other French cheeses. It all went down very well and I was inundated with offers of vin rouge.  However what was interesting was that later I had a discussion with a local (and yes I know one should not) as to the Politics of the left and right and why Tony was not yet in Europe and yet supported Bush in Iraq.  A few years ago my French would not be up to it and yes I made mistakes today and we laughed and joked about it and they kindly and nicely corrected my French.  However what we ended up agreeing upon was whether you are rich poor or inbetween there is no difference you are still a man or a woman.  Nice I thought.