La Vie Niçoise

Before I left the orientation, I experienced my first real moment of culture shock in the 1.5 weeks I've been in France.

The crowd had dispersed slightly around the directrice, so she looked around and asked if anyone else had any more questions. I'd already figured out the TD thing, so all that was left was finding out what to do with that English as a Second Language class that was slotted for the entire day, every Wednesday, that all the other students had groaned about. It didn't seem right/fair that I should take it alongside the others. 'Specially if they curved grades here.

I stepped up and started to introduce myself, having e-mailed her previously and wanting to thank her for her help. She knew my name without me having to say it. I guess they don't have too many Canadian girls coming to their program very often.

The next bit of the conversation went like this:

Directrice - "Vous avez des questions?" (Do you have any questions?)

Me - "Oui, à propos du cours de l'anglais...Euh, est-ce que c'est possible de ne le prends pas...parce que c'est pas juste..." (Yes, about that English class. Um, is it possible to not take it? 'Cause it doesn't seem fair)

D - "Ah... l'anglais du première annee alors?" (First year English then?)

M - "??? *confusée* Non, je veux dire, peut-etre le francais alors..?" (???*confused* No I mean, maybe I could take french instead?)

D -"Ah ben no... Hé! Prof soandso, viens. Le cours de l'anglais, qu'est-ce qu'on peut faire? Elle parle pas l'anglais." (Oh no I don't think so... Hey! Prof soandso, come here. What can we do about English class. She doesn't speak English.)

M - "Oh nonono! C'est que je le parle fluentement!" (Oh nonono! It's that I speak it fluently!)

Crowd and Directrice - *ogle*

Random guy - "T'es maitrise en anglais??" (You're fluent in English??)

M - "Oui...?" (Yea...?)

And then it hit me. THEY THINK I'M FROM CHINA.