French Class

Last Tuesday, the " Beginning French" class started at the International Center. I know I should study ENGLISH FIRST, but I had wanted to study French since last year! If you look the picture, you would figure out how serious I was. I bought many French reference books in English, and Japanese. Call me an idiot! I even bought a French electronic dictionary when I visited Japan!! However, just after I started to study French, I was STUCK. I couldn't do it just by myself! I needed a TRAINER!!
I had waited for a long time until this class started, and...finally it opened!

Why do I want to study French? From these following reasons:
1. I love French arts, fashion, leather brands, food, and cosmetics!
Even though I never visited there.
2.When I was in Japan, I often went to French restaurants because of my wedding emcee job. Sometimes I explained their menus and wines. Whenever I did so, I thought: I wish I understood French!
3. English is already "the international language," so many people can speak. I thought I should study one more language to increase my possibilities.
4.This is the biggest reason! My husband MAY transfer to some countries whose official languages are French, like Belguim or Canada in the future. We are not sure, though. Since I came here, I have realized SEVERELY that the language is the most important key for me to assimilate the culture. Additionally, mastering a foreign language takes such a LONG TIME!! Therefore, if I have even "a" possibility to move there, I want to learn "their" language as soon as possible!!!!

The teacher of the "Beginning French" class is a 25-year-old researcher at Purdue.
Her name is Maud, and she is from Toulouse, in the south of France.
Mmmm, she was a cheerful, seemed a good teacher! I thought.
The students are from the United States, Korea, Lebanon,Slovakia, Chile, Brazil, Syria, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ukraine, and Japan(me.)
Wow! Except for three Americans, we have different nationalities! That's wonderful!
Especially, don't you think it is great to have Americans, a Lebanese, and a Syrian together in the same class for the same purpose despite the world's situation?
I was excited!

However, as soon as the class started, I got frustrated... Maud encouraged us to introduce ourselves in French! WHAT!? All French I remembered
were:
Bonjour! Hello, Tres bien Very good, Merci Thank you, Bon voyage (Have) a nice trip!, and Je taime I love you!
Shall I say all of those to my classmates!? She gave us exmaples. Needing a lot of effots, I learned these French sentences:
Je m'appelle Keiko Ohashi. My name is Keiko Ohashi.
Pre'nom est Keiko. Nom de famille est Ohashi. The first name is Keiko. The last name is Ohashi.
Je viens Tokyo. I'm from Tokyo.
Je suis Japonaise. I am a Japanese. J'ai trente deux. I am thirty two years old.
Je suis marrie. I am married. Je nai pas denfants. I don't have a child.
Je' tais une organisatrice de marriage. I organized weddings.
J ètudiel anglais en ce moment. I study English now.
Enchantèe de vous! (Nice to meet you!)

As you know, I am always frustrated with my English...but today, I felt like: English is such an easy language to me! Let me speak English to communicate with my classmates! I AM GOING TO BE CRAZY!!!

After I came back home exhausted, I found e-mail from Maud. She told us her e-mail address to encourage us to ask her French questions. I replied:
I'm not sure I can survive in your class... However, I will do my best!
She replied to me SOON! She said," I'm sure you can survive! Next time, I will explain some basic French grammer. Take your time!"
She is SO kind... I am busy, but I know everybody is always busy! So, how can we find the time to learn new things? I have to make an effort to do that.

This is a chance to learn French! The teacher is supportive, the class is cheap( just $30 per semester,) and I have many classmates who have the same interest!
"Be stuck there, don't give up!" I don't know how many times I have said it to myself.
Oh, don't forget the most important thing..."Enjoy!" Aimer!