Progression in French

"Most adults do not know how to handle the humiliation of learning a new language, of having people give them confused stares, just outright laughing at them, or becoming angry because you're in their country and can't speak the language. Many people in my language school suffered from loss of identity and inferiority. These were well-educated people who had been successful in their occupations back home. Now they were learning language full-time and couldn't understand why they were having such a hard time. Being smart does not guarantee that you will find learning language easy." 

The above quote was taken from a blog about things that missionaries wished that they had known before they started. We have found this to be very true. Here is an update on our progress in French and what we are doing regularly to improve and learn! It is definitely a process.

We finished our 2nd trimester of 3 on March 13. As a part of this trimester, Ryan and I both have spoken in front of our student body of about 60 people. Ryan shared about his struggle with his ability to be efficient and earn a lot of money in the US as en engineer (with his identity being a good job) vs. venturing into an unknown job description in the middle of Africa where we ask for monetary donations and he no longer can be "efficient" (with his identity being a son of God). For my presentation, I shared about my passion for fistula patients and how important it is to look at the horizon and keep moving, trusting that God will direct individual steps. I shared one of my favorite verses: Isaiah 30:21 "Your ears will hear a voice behind you saying: this is the way, walk in it."

We have been able to go skiing as a school field trip as well as several weekends. It is not only gorgeous, but it is also a wonderful time to be immersed in the French language reading signs and speaking with other skiers on the lifts or asking for directions.

I try to go to the open markets for vegetables and fruit on a weekly or twice-weekly basis. I am playing mandolin every other week for praise and worship on Friday mornings at the school. Recently I was able to go to a French movie with some other ladies and I understood most of it!

I continue to participate in the leisure volleyball club, and Ryan has been able to play with the soccer club once more (the first time since his injury on Dec 6!). 

We try to get together for a couple of hours each week with our language partner(s) and just recently we started a medical journal club in French to discuss and learn medical terminology with one of the French doctors. 

Sydney is enjoying the interaction with other children at the school in the sandbox or riding the scooter, chasing the kitty, or playing with the balls. She just recently started going to the nursery half-time. They only speak in French to the kids, so I think this will not only be a great time of interaction with other kids during the morning, but also a good time to continue learning French.