Revue du France

Note: This entry was originally written on the train to Barcelona after spending more than two weeks in France (April 28, 2007). It’s all in mangled “French”–without even the aid of a dictionary–which is a mix of incorrect French, Spanish, and English. This is an entry for me to reflect on in the future–as much for the content as for seeing how much French I knew. Feel free to just look at the pretty pictures at Flickr (not all of the photos are uploaded yet due to bandwidth limits…

J’ai arrivee en Paris immediamente apres ma exam de chemie quantum. La premerie vu du Paris est un homme que peepee por la rue. Il no tournez pas a la autre direccion. J’ai une question por encontrer mi hostel, The Peace and Love. Sur las proximes trois jours, j’ai vu la Tour Eiffel, l’Arc du Triomphe, las Champs Elysees, la Lourve, la Notre Dame, la Moulin Rouge (pas en le soir, tristemente), la Sacre Coeur, la Palais du Luxeombourg, et beaucoups beaucoups jardins. Si je va encore, je va a voir la Musee d’Orsay, la Musee Picasso, et il n’ya pas beaucoup plus. Paris est plus cool si je connaisez le francais, o si je suis avec mes amis.

Apres, j’ai alle a Montelimar en la sur de France, a la midi des Valence et Orange. Por deux semanes, j’ai vive avec la famille Cheron: Stephanie, Laurent, Chloe, Quentin, Pirouette (le chien), et Peanuts (le chat).

La premiere soir a est bizare parce que j’ai ne se pas beaucoup francais, et Stephanie se un peu de anglais. Mais demaine la autre visiteur, Erin, a arrivee, et elle est de les Etats Unids et parle francais tres fluidmente, parce que elle a faire un mission en Quebec por soi eglise por deux ans. Donk, elle a m’explique tout que j’ai ne comprends pas.

J’ai devee parle plus, mais je ne peut en francais. Nos avion avoir beaucoup montanges, chateaux, palaix, parcs, etc. J’ai aimee la nouritture francais, comme la pate, la fromage, la escargot, et les pains aux chocolats. Mais j’ai aimee la plus la famille tres genial. Chloe et Quentin j’ai reconnaise a ma sur et moi. C’a est tres interesante voir un famille differente etre comme ma famille. Et il y’a un jour que Peter et Anke an m’aidee en Marseilles. Il a fait tres bella la jour, et j’ai voir la mer mediterranean por la premiere vez.

Je suis por la tran a Barcelona. Je va a perd la francais toutamente, mais j’ai passe jours formidables en France.

ANZAC Day

So in Australia and New Zealand, April 25 is a huge holiday commemorating the landing of Aus and NZ troops on the beaches of Gallipoli in Turkey during WWI. It's a pretty big deal because it was the first time Aus troops had seen battle (remember Aus didn't fight for independence) and supposedly they fought extremely bravely despite the fact that they were at a strategic disadvantage, etc, and it's a huge deal to the Aussies that when tested in battle, their soldiers "were not found lacking..." and its kind of seen as Aus' coming of age. So I got up before 4 and went to the dawn service where the governor of Western Aus spoke of the "ANZAC spirit, forged in the fires of Gallipoli..." (direct quote from WA's governor, I swear...but doesn't it sound Lord of the Ringsesque??) and built on the values of "courage, honour, and mateship" (those values which supposedly form the basis of the unique Australian national identity.) Seriously, MATESHIP...my "character value" education was sadly lacking without that one.... Anyways, they have a dawn service at the war memorial in King's Park, so I went to that, and later to the parade and commemorative service at Langley Park, which was interesting for several reasons. First, it included several prayers. Kind of funny, because Aus is overall more secular than the states, but they threw in all these prayers and everyone was fine with it. Then, and this just blew me away, they said a prayer for the Queen of England and sang "God Save the Queen." I just don't understand why she is still their Head of State...granted Aus' history with Britain is quite different from the US', and in their eyes, its not causing any problems, so why change it? But still...you're an independent nation and you're keeping Britain's queen as your head of state?