We stayed in Kent, England for a month before getting to Semur-en-Auxios, France. Some of the challenges of living in a new place became apparent. The realization that we in the States do things differently than other places came home to roost.
Celsius vs Fahrenheit comes to mind. There is a formula for this conversion (T(°C) = (T(°F) – 32) × 5/9) but I barely passed Algebra 1 after 3 tries and that was 45 years ago. I try to remember that 0 Celsius is 32 Farhenheit and work my way from there. 8 weeks later I still can’t tell you what the temperature is – cold, coldish, not bad, are my terms.
Then there is the oven. It’s been years since I’ve burned anything I’ve cooked. 148.89 °C is 300 °F – I guess from there. One night while I was helping with the Traditional Sunday Roast cooked in an Agga – and that’s a whole other world unto itself – I nearly incinerated Nigel’s homemade and delicious Yorkshire puddings. 😟
I manage with Pound notes though the coins still confuse me. I would drop the coins into my palm and hold it open to the cashier and they would sort through them, counting as they went.
Yesterday in Semur, we bought a few things at what amounts to the corner store. The owner and his wife have been kind and friendly to us. When I went to hold out my coins I received an impromptu lesson in counting. I was delighted. I often feel like a younger version of my self trying to learn French, which I don’t mind too much though I think the effect on others can be disconcerting.
There is a free French class that will begin again sometime this month – I’ll be going to that. I try to do a lesson every day on Pimsleur though it feels a little out of context to me if I don’t get to use the skill right away. Given that situation, I’m looking for people who are willing to listen to me stumble with French. I’ve got a massage table. I’m offering trades.
