je suis très nerveuse!

As I am scrambling to look for French books and audio books to practice my listening and speaking skills, the butterflies in my stomach are fluttering. You can hear me speaking broken French in my car (whenever I'm alone, of course) saying, Je dois parler français plus souvent. Je dois pratiquer! Si non, j'échouerai mes cours et deviendrai seul en France. Translation: "I must speak French more often. I must practice! If not, I will fail my classes and become alone in France."I should practice being more positive because I'm finding that my French negativity is scaring me beaucoup.

Does anyone have any suggestions for beginning-intermediate French reads? I've taken 2 years of French and I need to enhance my comprehension and listening/speaking skills. I wish I knew someone who spoke it fluently; then, I could take after Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat. Pray. Love by meeting up with them at a local cafe...just talking, practicing an entirely foreign language.

To make me feel better, a friend recommended that I read Me Talk Pretty One Day. Just by the title of the book, I'm assuming it will shed light on the joys & woes of language barriers through humor and mortifying situations.

Another way to soften the blows whenever I'm reminded of my incredulous and daunting (but beautiful) journey ahead, is through other people's experiences. Not only do I have friends who have experienced the same, there are other people out there who know what it's like. Reading My Tea Leaves blogger Erin guest-blogged and wrote a beautiful entry of her journey in France. Here's an exerpt (and a picture!):

For the next ten months, I would teach English to French school children in five different elementary schools. I would live with a family of six and care for four adorable children. I would ride bus number 15 to teach my classes. I would take a short cut through the trees to tutor a high school boy in English. I would pass the same woman with her baby stroller every day for months, always in the exact same spot, always at the exact same time. I would create a life for myself in Mâcon, and at the end of a year, I would leave it all behind.
(Source: Lost in Translation)

She continues on to talk about re-entry into the States, which I've been warned, is harder than living in a foreign country. I have no doubt that me coming back is going to be difficult--how do you share the most amazing months of your life with someone who doesn't understand? There's no way, right? Unless they've experienced it themselves...that is why I am trying to get anyone and everyone I know to come visit. What better way to share the absolute epitome of beauty with your loved ones than to be in Lyon, France together?

When my boyfriend, Mark, studied in Rome, I made a trip out there. What ended up being a mini vacation turned into the most breathtaking 10 days of my life that inspired me to pursue a creative career that I would love and cherish forever--writing. I never imagined that the beauty of history's storytelling and the magic of Rome's architecture (from it's crumbling Colliseum to it's ancient cobblestone roads) would inspire me to pursue a creativity using words as my outlet. Needless to say, my trip out there allowed me to understand Mark when he needed to express his emotions about Italy.


Those are just a few fun pictures--I have over 200! Anyway, those are just some of my thoughts, anticipations, fears, hopes, etc. I hope your Tuesday is as inquisitive as mine, if not more! Happy day to you<3