I'm enrolled in French Classes!!!

Everyone talks about their bucket list these days.  I don't have a "bucket list" because I don't plan on dying anytime soon.  But over the years I've had "wish lists" that I would like to do but have never gotten around to doing them, or just couldn't be bothered at the time for one reason or another.  I decided that this year was the year I was going to start pursuing some of my interests.

I started with a cake decorating course.  I finished 3 levels and 1/2 of another.  I want that last certificate so I'm retaking that level while I'm on vacation later in the month. It's a condensed version in 3 weeks instead of 4.

I also registered for a French class. I was fluent in French when I graduated high school in 1980, but I didn't keep up with my French speaking friends and I lost the ability to speak and write it. I can read enough and understand enough from conversations that I can get the idea of what is being said, but I've lost the ability to speak or write it. I can say a few select phrases like where is the bathroom; I don't speak French, do you speak English"; hello; and good night; etc.  Bur not enough to have a conversation.

When I registered I placed myself in the beginner class.  I figure I need to relearn the grammar and pronunciation.  Today the recruiter called me and talked to me and she told me that since I was fluent at one time, that once I start it will all coming flooding back. I hope so!  She agrees with me that beginner is the best place for me at this time, and if I find I am finding it redundant, I can always skip a level.  There are 3 levels. This first one runs from mid-September to December.

My brother's g/f is French and she said she would practice with me.  And one of the Pharmacists at work said he would practice with me too. 

I'm excited and nervous all at the same time!!

Starting in January, I want to look around for a "Bob Ross-style" painting tutor and learn how to oil paint. 

On my list of things that I've been wanting to do and will be checking off my list next year and the year after are:

- Oil painting

- Piano

- Maybe a 3rd language; a heritage language, either Ukrainian or Cree Indian.  Likely Cree because we get a large number of Cree patients through our facility and some do not speak English and require translators or family to translate.

Oh I si !  Good luck with the french class.

That's very interesting. My French consists of about six weeks while in the third grade at school. Same with German, about six weeks during third grade of school.

I'm sure you'll do well!

Winchester said:

That's very interesting. My French consists of about six weeks while in the third grade at school. Same with German, about six weeks during third grade of school.

I'm sure you'll do well!

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I hope so.  I'll be ok attending the weekly class, my problem is "self study." I always find a way to not do it!  But I'll have to buckle down and at least spend my time to and from work and my lunch hour getting some study time in.

That should be fun! I had 3-1/2 years of it in high school. I've forgotten a lot, but it did come in handy when we were in Quebec.

How exciting! I love your idea of taking classes to pursue your interests! I hope that you find it very fulfilling.

AbbysMom said:

That should be fun! I had 3-1/2 years of it in high school. I've forgotten a lot, but it did come in handy when we were in Quebec.

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When they called me on Saturday to verify placement, the girl wanted to talk to me in French and have me answer her in French. I was super honest with her and told her that I have forgotten all but a few select phrases and that there was no way I could answer her back in French.  Which is why she agreed that beginner was the right place for me to start.

StealthKitty said:

How exciting! I love your idea of taking classes to pursue your interests! I hope that you find it very fulfilling.

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I've been wanting to take classes in something for so long, but I didn't know what. I did know that I didn't want it to be anything serious, or anything related to healthcare. I'm quite happy where I am in my education as a nurse. IMHO you don't need a degree,or a masters to be a good nurse. I've always told people that if I were to go and get a degree in something that it would be in "design and textiles" because I enjoy sewing, but not enough to make a career out of it.

So my class selections have been more for fun and just basic interest with no pressure on me with an end goal. Just one fun class after another.

What fun!  I admire you for taking classes.  French was my favorite subject in high school.  I could still speak French well enough while in nursing school that my friends from Africa could understand me. However, I couldn't understand them, so it made for some one way conversations.  It's such a beautiful language; I would love to learn more.

I think it's really great you're doing something you've always wanted to try! I hope you enjoy your classes! :smile2:

nurseangel said:

 
What fun!  I admire you for taking classes.  French was my favorite subject in high school.  I could still speak French well enough while in nursing school that my friends from Africa could understand me. However, I couldn't understand them, so it made for some one way conversations.  It's such a beautiful language; I would love to learn more.

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When I was working on a ward in a hospital, we frequently had patients from Africa that had French as their first language and couldn't speak English.  It was ok when there was a nurse on duty that could speak French, she would either be assigned the patient, or act as translator.  Unfortunately she couldn't work 24/7!  So what I was doing was using one of those online translator sites and typing in what I wanted to say, and printing out the French translation.  I understood enough of what the patients were saying to get what they wanted, so I would just go and type my response into the computer and go back and let them read it while I tried my hardest to get the translation right.

It wasn't perfect, but it worked well enough, and the patients appreciated my efforts a lot.

C'est vraiment formidable!  

Folks,  what would the phrase  "sil vu plé"  mean?   Its supposed to be (a badly pronounced) french.

That's a great idea, and you probably will find a lot of things will come back to you. What's really difficult is the spelling, according to my students who have French as their second foreign language. It's a pain to type without the right keyboard, too.

StefanZ said:

Folks,  what would the phrase  "sil vu plé"  mean?   Its supposed to be (a badly pronounced) french.

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That's one of the few things I know in French: s'il vous plaît = please

Wow, that's great! I'm teaching French to high school students right now, and it's been so much fun getting back into the language. She's right about it flooding back, by the way. It might not be as dramatic as it would be if you were dropped into France, but it will come back. People say that we lose language over time, but from my experience, it just goes underground.

I looked at the emailing today. There are 4 levels of beginner classes. I signed up for the very first one.  Apparently I can always skip ahead if needed. But I feel I've lost so much that I need to go through each of the 4 levels to grasp it all again.  My goal is to regain my fluency.

All I can do in French is cuss although I can understand a fair bit of the French the guys on the track speak but that is so antiquated it bears no resemblance to modern French..

Hope your classes go well.