cut off from community.
This is me feeling sorry for myself. I am in the middle of a culture that refuses to speak English and does not understand my anglicized French. And I can`t check my email because this place has cut that avenue of communicating with people off too. And my phone won`t kick in for another 9 days! After living in Toronto where 48% of the people are immigrants who don`t speak English as their first language, I can finally say I relate to them, now that I`m in Quebec. Even simple things like figuring out where I can recycle is a task and a half.
OK. So it`s not that bad. Well, actually, it IS that bad, but I can handle my lack of communication with a smile on my face anyway. I have not been reduced to tears and utter despair.
Despite my sorrows (which, seriously, could be much worse), I have a huge hallelujah-- my neighbours are immigrants from Iran who prefer speaking in English. Two nights ago, we sipped Iranian tea and ate Dutch boederkoek, talking in ``Franglais`` (French and English mixed together) for hours. If if the community I love to is cut off from me, at least I have the opportunity to thrive in a new community!
posted by ann renee. @ 10:18 a.m.
7 Comments:
Ann!
So when I move in with you, you will be able to communicate for both of us. (just kidding...) I'm SOOOOOO jealous of you (I just told you that in an e-mail, but it is still true. Actually, I think I told you twice in the e-mail...) ARGH! Why can't I be doing something as cool as you!! Oh well...I'll have fun too... Miss you!!!
hey ann, what does iranian tea taste like?? Can i speak frenglish :) when i come visit you. :) I love you tons...I miss you more than julie. ;). Je t'aime becoupe!!
Chantale
WEll ann, i miss you more then both your sister, pretty sure!:) You are pretty much amazing! The only person i know who can mix cultures like that.
That's too bad about being cut off, I feel the same right now though in a kinda different way. Dordt is somewhat...trying...for me at the moment. If you and everyone else who's now gone were still around, I think this would probably be an awesome time, but as is, it's somewhat...empty. Oh well, I'm sure things will improve for me, and for you too. Explore the city a little bit, there's gotta be pockets of cool english speaking people somewhere, right? Take care Ann...
oh, i feel your frustration! at least people here speak some english though... i am continually suprised at how tiresome constantly translating in your head can be... just listening to a conversation about the weather and the current political status in holland is exhausting...
iranian tea, huh? sounds interesting.
i'm going to have some dutch version of indonesian food right now...
better go...
hang in there! the first few weeks are the hardest, normally... :)
tqm!
You know, I've never been anywhere where I didn't speak the language. So I'm sorry but I cannot relate. Yet. But next semester I'm going to the netherlands, and though I hear most people there speak varying degrees of english, I think I will get a decent serving of can't-speak-the-language. :)
Miss you!
Hott! you're so baddass!
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