Editor's note

Thursday, September 11, 2008

I can speak French.

Or so I thought, before I actually went to France.

Fresh off my nine-hour flight to Paris, I was giddy at the sight of stone streets, the smell of fresh baguettes and the sounds of the French language buzzing around me.

Feeling ambitious, I strolled into a store to buy a phone card, and inside stood two French boys.

The notebooks scrawled with vocab lists and verb conjugations, the hours spent willing my vocal cords to produce those throaty French sounds all flashed before me.

Everything came down to this: my first real French conversation.

I approached the guy behind the counter—all cheekbones and pouty lips, blonde hair crashing into his eyes—and said “Bonjour,” nodding my head politely, just as I’d practiced in the mirror.

The word had barely escaped my nervous lips when the other guy—brunette curls, striped sweater in June—looked over at me, then at his co-worker, and mumbled, “American.”

I remember their amused grins, the impatient confusion in their eyes as I struggled to spit out basic sentences.

I remember the burn in my cheeks, the heavy knot in my tongue, the way my brain short-circuited as I frantically searched for the French words that corresponded with my English thoughts.

Second person plural, direct object there, future tense here—Oh, I messed up, can I start over?

As I was leaving the store after what seemed like hours, the blonde said to me, in French, “You speak French very well, my dear.”

I couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic, serious or sympathetic.

I wanted to reply that this was my first day in France and that I’d just spent nine hours on a crowded airplane next to a burly man with pistachio breath.

But though all these words were somewhere in my head, standing there, I couldn’t say them. I just nodded politely and left.

My time in France opened my eyes to all the nuances of communication I once took for granted. No matter how much I study, I’ll likely never be able to fully comprehend the humor or master the distinct flow of conversation in French.

Read Derek’s story on page 12 about KU student Travis Tewes, who can rap in English and Japanese and who has used his language skills to make a name for himself in Japan’s hip-hop scene.

And, be sure to check out page 6 for the first installment of “Transatlantic Trends,” a fashion column from Jayplay writer Chris Horn, who’s spending the semester in France.

I hope he has better luck conversing with the locals than I did that first day.

Transatlantic trends

Bringing French fashion to the hill

/news/2008/sep/11/transatlantic_trends/

A french connection

A Parisian girl quelled my reverse culture shock after living in France, ...

/news/2007/nov/01/french_connection/

International students arrive, learn

/news/2005/aug/12/international/

What it’s like: to be polyamorous

We know your curious.

/news/2011/oct/20/what-its-be-polyamorous/

Former volleyball star goes pro in France

Kansan volleyball player Emily Brown sets to play volleyball in France this ...

/news/2009/jul/28/volleyball/

In My World

I feel torn. I have to choose between the Deaf-World and the ...

/news/2006/may/11/jp_inmyworld/

French fulfillment

My dream of studying in France helped me let go of my ...

/news/2007/sep/13/french_fulfillment/

Rhyming in the far east

On a study abroad trip to Japan, KU student Travis Tewes took ...

/news/2008/sep/11/rhyming_far_east/

Catch of the Week: Ibrahim Berro

A weekly peek at a fish in the KU sea.

/news/2012/feb/08/catch-week-/

Holtz: French protests highlight American political apathy

Do Americans no longer feel capable of making a difference?

/news/2010/jun/29/holtz-french-protests-highlight-american-political/

Question & Answer with Amy Millan of ...

/news/2008/sep/25/question_answer_amy_millan_stars/

Editor's note: Feb. 25

Jayplay associate editor Kelci Shipley's take on this week's issue.

/news/2010/feb/25/editors-note-feb-25/

Digging Wall Drug

Wall, South Dakota will be my home for the next three days, ...

/news/2004/sep/27/digging_wall_dr/

Miyakawa: More than 'study' abroad

Students miss opportunities by avoiding interaction with locals.

/news/2009/feb/12/miyakawa_more/

Transatlantic trends: A bag workout

/news/2008/oct/23/transatlantic_trends_bag_workout/

To hell and back

A fight outside Naismith Hall began Thor Nystrom's year-long journey into the ...

/news/2008/may/05/hell_and_back/

Do you know the Taco Man?

A student and street vendor savor tacos, conversation and a relationship forged ...

/news/2007/nov/15/do_you_know_taco_man/

For Her

How a routine advising appointment helped one Jayplay writer find her inner ...

/news/2011/oct/27/her/

What did you just say to me?

What the importance of pronunciation has taught one international student

/news/2007/oct/18/what_did_you_just_say_me/

Blakeborough: Japanese lives should matter more than ...

Tragedy in Japan trumps weather reports in California.

/news/2011/mar/13/blakeborough-japanese-lives-are-more-priority-us-i/

Culture shock

Traveling far from home can jolt your system and derail your confidence, ...

/news/2007/nov/01/culture_shock/

24 hours of Lawrence

A journey through the town at all hours.

/news/2009/oct/29/24-hours-lawrence/

Foreign students bring culture to campus

Students from across the globe have come to the University and brought ...

/news/2007/apr/04/kulture/

Williams: Language proficiency offers opportunities

Whether it’s English, Spanish or Mandarin, everyone can benefit from mastering multiple ...

/news/2007/dec/05/williams_language_proficiency_offers_opportunities/

Editor's note: April 15

Associate Jayplay editor Kelci Shipley gives her take on this week's issue.

/news/2010/apr/15/editors-note-april-15/

Study abroad sets students up for success

Deadline to apply for summer, fall and 2009-2010 academic year programs is ...

/news/2009/feb/26/study_abroad/

Hirschfeld: Don’t be language prejudice

Some people judge a person’s linguistics by the color of their skin. ...

/news/2007/sep/04/hirschfeld/

Ho: Embrace accents

Accents reflect a person's cultural identity.

/news/2009/oct/14/ho-embrace-accents/

Hartz: University shouldn’t be diverse in grammar

Please learn to speak English properly.

/news/2008/apr/22/university_shouldnt_be_diverse_grammar/

Blankenau: Discovering the weird world of French ...

/news/2008/sep/04/blankenau_discovering_weird_world_french_cinema/

Holladay: The English language is great, but ...

The English language should adapt with the times and change a few ...

/news/2011/mar/31/holladay-embracing-advanced-technology-can-better-/

Stressed in the city

My first job interview in New York

/news/2010/nov/11/stressed-city-new-york/

Equinox tour sheds light on campus

Professor Johnson showed students how campus buildings align with stars and cardinal ...

/news/2009/sep/23/equinox_tour_sheds_light_campus/

Overworked students' dangerous race against time

Is too much work and too little time putting students' health at ...

/news/2011/apr/28/time-not-our-side/

More Chinese students choosing KU

Increased enrollment has been attributed to a favorable economy.

/news/2009/jan/16/more_chinese/

Brew: Developing a passion for European sports

Study abroad creates opportunity for writer to delve into local sports culture.

/news/2011/aug/31/brew-european-sports/

Worlds. Here and now. Together.

When two people from different cultures date

/news/2009/mar/05/worlds_here_and_now_together/

Dance of life

When Chinese student Vicky Lu found the courage to go to her ...

/news/2009/jan/15/dance_life/

Best enemies

A sisterly tale wrought with rivalry

/news/2008/mar/13/best_enemies/

Smith: In English, please?

The English language is butchered on a daily basis. Ben Smith is ...

/news/2007/aug/13/smith/

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