So for the next 6 years, including almost 6 months in Grenoble, France, I soaked in anything French. Everything from the passé composé to L'État, C’est Moi to the Eiffel Tower to Steak Frites – if it was French I made a study card about it.
My big pay off came on graduation day when I received a Minor in French – Cha Ching! And it’s a good thing, too, because ever since I’ve been out of school my français comme une deuxième langue has proven to be a difference maker here in North Texas . . . yeah, right!
Let me say that I loved studying French – especially the time when I actually studied French in France. But why the heck didn’t somebody say, “Wade – you live in North Tejas! Study Spanish!”
The thing that has brought on this little rant is a recent 4-day weekend to Playa del Carmen, Mexico that Kelly and I took to celebrate our 7th anniversary. During the trip I heard both French and Spanish. While listening to the French tourists, I became so frustrated and embarrassed to realize that my French has deteriorated from fluency to a Pre-K level (Mon Dieu!). When I was trying to converse with the locals, I realized that had I studied Spanish for 6 years I probably would have retained twice as much of Spanish as the French that I have lost.
Coming home from Mexico, I told Kelly that it will be very important to me that our children grow up learning (and retaining) Spanish. I have always felt that learning and conversing in a foreign language forces you to be more open minded to the world outside our American Bubble – which will be important considering how recent social political events are pretty good indicators that some day soon being bi-lingual in North Texas will be a necessity.
English: Here’s a picture of Kelly and I at our resort, Iberostar Paraiso – very nice!
Espanol: ¡Aquí está un retrato de Kelly y de yo en nuestro recurso, Iberostar Paraiso – muy agradable!
Francais: Ici est une image de Kelly et j'à notre recours, Iberostar Paraiso – très chic!
Let me say that I loved studying French – especially the time when I actually studied French in France. But why the heck didn’t somebody say, “Wade – you live in North Tejas! Study Spanish!”
The thing that has brought on this little rant is a recent 4-day weekend to Playa del Carmen, Mexico that Kelly and I took to celebrate our 7th anniversary. During the trip I heard both French and Spanish. While listening to the French tourists, I became so frustrated and embarrassed to realize that my French has deteriorated from fluency to a Pre-K level (Mon Dieu!). When I was trying to converse with the locals, I realized that had I studied Spanish for 6 years I probably would have retained twice as much of Spanish as the French that I have lost.
Coming home from Mexico, I told Kelly that it will be very important to me that our children grow up learning (and retaining) Spanish. I have always felt that learning and conversing in a foreign language forces you to be more open minded to the world outside our American Bubble – which will be important considering how recent social political events are pretty good indicators that some day soon being bi-lingual in North Texas will be a necessity.
English: Here’s a picture of Kelly and I at our resort, Iberostar Paraiso – very nice!
Espanol: ¡Aquí está un retrato de Kelly y de yo en nuestro recurso, Iberostar Paraiso – muy agradable!
Francais: Ici est une image de Kelly et j'à notre recours, Iberostar Paraiso – très chic!
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