Today I took my first step in learning Creole. Simple enough, Marlene and Dominique were talking in the car, as all good friends do when they have been friends since middle school. All of the sudden Dominique stopped Marlene to alert me that they had slipped into Creole. Huh? Oh, right, I should be paying attention! So Marlene spoke really slowly….and then gave up. “This doesn’t work in Creole!” She shouted (in perfect French of course). But they gave me a quick lesson: I = Mi (or Me?) and you = ou (ooh?). I need to learn how to write these, but so far I’ve got – “Mi amouu” = I love you… Which Dominique told me was important to know before I heard it around me at school from all the young school boys professing their love to me.
Poor Carrie is still trying to get a handle on French. I can understand where she’s coming from, all that frustration of not being able to express and understand oneself in a foreign country. I tried to comfort her with my experiences in France, but I know it’s different for everyone. I just know that learning a language involves a lot of endurance, determination, and patience. Oh, and being able to make a fool of yourself and still carry on, humbled by your attempts.
Dominique and Marlene carried on in French (even though Dominique and I had promised that every other day would be spoken in English, I let her slide, not that I really mind the extra practice). As they spoke, I got distracted as usual, but this time by a beautiful rainbow. “he he he!” I tried to alert them of the exciting event unfolding blatantly in front of their eyes. They stopped for a second and then Marlene turned to me: “Oh, that? That’s normal, that happens all the time.” Well I took a picture anyway. I think it’s special, even if there will be tons more rainbows to come.
