Monday, November 17, 2008
Si ça ne vous derange pas...
(If that doesn't inconvenience you...) I have taken the liberty of inserting French words into the blogs. Hope it doesn't bother you! I always hated it in books when they would stick foreign words in the text and then expect you to just get it - it always seemed kind of stuck up. And look! I am falling into a similar habit! However, in these blogs the English word follows in the parentheses. It is simply done out of an enthrallment with the language and a desire to share it with you. Bon courage! (Good luck!)
La Vie en Or
(Life through gold colored glasses) There is something about the light in Paris. It is as though the sun has set aside special golden rays to bestow on this special place. The bridges arch gracefully over the Seine, inviting the eye to observe the gently swirling currents to the ivy covered river banks and up, up, up to the flying buttresses of Notre Dame rising above the trees in gilded autumn foliage.
Milky yellow gravel crunches underfoot and eccentuates the crisp October air and mouth watering aroma of fresh baguettes. Curious pigeons clamor over statues of ancient kings as tourists flock arm in arm from sight to sight with cameras at the ready.
A cacophony of languages from around the world forms the symphony of the metropolis. The melodic hum of traffic, the chic click of stilettos on cobblestones, the beeping of cellphones and the thud of men unloading wares from thier trucks weave in and out of each other. This rythmn swirls around the city and seeps into the stones of the ancient buildings, each echo adding a richer patina. Every building along the Seine river basks in the sun like a jewelry box on display; lovely to behold and containing carefully preserved bijoux (gems, jewelry) of history.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Next
Just because I am studying in Brussels doesn't mean traveling is nil! Hints on where I going to visit:
1.) This is the City of Lights
2.) George Gershwin, a fantastic American composer create a piece called "An American in (the title of this city).
3.) The president of this country divorced his wife and married a model/songwriter a few months later. That's classy.
4.) I studied here for a bit while I was in college and I LOVE it here.
1.) This is the City of Lights
2.) George Gershwin, a fantastic American composer create a piece called "An American in (the title of this city).
3.) The president of this country divorced his wife and married a model/songwriter a few months later. That's classy.
4.) I studied here for a bit while I was in college and I LOVE it here.
La Gastronomie
The art or science of good eating. The French language is like a croissant. Light as a feather yet buttery rich, it glides
through the air and satisfyingly resounds in the ear. Sometimes French is low and gutteral like the crusty ends of this delicious pastry. At other moments it is lilting and surprisingly nuanced as the delicate flakes in the center.
They are both based on a long venerated tradition and its high quality remains intact despite the odds. Pre-packaged treats, donuts, and candybars have all come bounding in but the lovely artisanal croissant remains. The language is being sideswiped by lazy text messengers and American pop culture via MTV but French is still, well, French.
The person who can manipulate the French language is like a master patissier (pastry cook) who presents a true chef d'oeuvre (masterpiece) to thier audience. Their words may be ephemeral and dissolve in the air but the listeners savor every golden morsel.
Picture: "Also think about nourishing your mind at noon/lunch time."
through the air and satisfyingly resounds in the ear. Sometimes French is low and gutteral like the crusty ends of this delicious pastry. At other moments it is lilting and surprisingly nuanced as the delicate flakes in the center.They are both based on a long venerated tradition and its high quality remains intact despite the odds. Pre-packaged treats, donuts, and candybars have all come bounding in but the lovely artisanal croissant remains. The language is being sideswiped by lazy text messengers and American pop culture via MTV but French is still, well, French.
The person who can manipulate the French language is like a master patissier (pastry cook) who presents a true chef d'oeuvre (masterpiece) to thier audience. Their words may be ephemeral and dissolve in the air but the listeners savor every golden morsel.
Picture: "Also think about nourishing your mind at noon/lunch time."
L'Interprise
Firm, Venture. L'Interprise. That is a word that everyone in my French classes understands regardless of their ability. Students have flocked here from Lithuania, Taiwan, Morocco, Finland, Spain, Scotland, China, Lebanon, Portugal, and Bulgaria. And those are just the nationalities represented in my classes! The majority are women who packed their bags to follow their husband's jobs with the European Comission or companies such as Toyota or Cisco.
Europe has converged in Brussels and it is here that carefully attired business men and women negotiate and strive to succeed. They swarm through the metro with leather briefcases with clever things inside and freshly printed newspapers in hand. Their little cars of European make zip through traffic and buzz over cobblesone streets to the NATO, European Union, and international companies' office buildings.
The ads on TV depict Dubai, South Korea, China, and India as ideal locales for business and luxurious getaways for the corporate set. Playing golf and eating Artentinean steak at a Club Med in Bali is not appetizing to me so I channel surf. There are so many channels to choose from though! The tube was initially intended to be an additional tool to learn French but there are Dutch, Spanish, Russian, and Arabic (to name a few) stations as well! The weather forecast spans from Iceland to the Sinai Peninsula to Morocco to Moscow. That's pretty cool.
Europe is changing and it means business. Back in the day France took a cue from the American Revolution and revolted against its own monarchy in quest of liberté, fraternité, et egalité (liberty, fraternity, and equality). A few years ago Europe noticed that the United States had a pretty good thing going and did what any good businessman would do. They put the competition's tool to work for themselves. Hence, the European Union. Europe doesn't want to be a place that you just "do" with a backpack during your Gap Year. Europe wants to be a united force to be contended with.
Europe has converged in Brussels and it is here that carefully attired business men and women negotiate and strive to succeed. They swarm through the metro with leather briefcases with clever things inside and freshly printed newspapers in hand. Their little cars of European make zip through traffic and buzz over cobblesone streets to the NATO, European Union, and international companies' office buildings.
The ads on TV depict Dubai, South Korea, China, and India as ideal locales for business and luxurious getaways for the corporate set. Playing golf and eating Artentinean steak at a Club Med in Bali is not appetizing to me so I channel surf. There are so many channels to choose from though! The tube was initially intended to be an additional tool to learn French but there are Dutch, Spanish, Russian, and Arabic (to name a few) stations as well! The weather forecast spans from Iceland to the Sinai Peninsula to Morocco to Moscow. That's pretty cool.
Europe is changing and it means business. Back in the day France took a cue from the American Revolution and revolted against its own monarchy in quest of liberté, fraternité, et egalité (liberty, fraternity, and equality). A few years ago Europe noticed that the United States had a pretty good thing going and did what any good businessman would do. They put the competition's tool to work for themselves. Hence, the European Union. Europe doesn't want to be a place that you just "do" with a backpack during your Gap Year. Europe wants to be a united force to be contended with.
Bienvenue
Welcome. Hello family, friends, and people I like in general. Welcome to the Kingdom of Belgium.
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