I can speak French, which is really no big deal since a lot of people speak French. But I learned this beautiful language from 2nd graders at a private school in Portland, OR and I’m guessing not too many people can say that. I am fluent in French kids games and 2nd grader jokes.
During my homeschool high school years I wanted to learn French. No one in my family spoke the language. Since this was in a day and age when we did not have computers in our homes and the internet was not yet invented, I was limited to borrowing cassette tape language courses from the local library and reading a Berlitz book. Basically I was learning French on my own and had no idea whether I was getting it right or not. Some people told me I’d never been able to master the language unless I took a French class. It was the only way. The only problem was that, since I was homeschooled, I was considered truant from school and, hence, unable to participate in any classes at the local schools.
When I was 16 years old, I saw an article in the Oregonian about the French-American International School (Ecole Francaise). My mother suggested that I write a letter to the directrice of the school, asking if there were any volunteer positions to be had. If I could be in the French environment on a daily basis it would help with my language learning endeavors. So I wrote the letter, sealed it in an envelope, and mailed it off with the hope that my offer to volunteer my time would be accepted.
A few weeks later, I received a reply offering me a job! The school needed a teacher’s assistant and wondered if I would be available to work Monday through Friday during normal school hours. Being homeschooled, this was an option. I could work during the day and do my studies at night. I could hardly believe my good fortune!
During the next school year I worked each week assisting Martine, the second grade teacher. All of the teachers and students were French – like actually from France. (So much better than being in a class of Americans trying to learn French from their American teacher!) The children’s parents had brought their families to the Portland area for mostly job-related reasons and wanted their kids to continue with their French schooling while in America. This was the student body of Ecole Francaise. So Monday through Friday, between he hours of 7:30-3:30, I packed up a lunch and headed off to work in Paris in Portland. It was wonderful. The kids were fantastic teachers of French. The other teachers were very patient with me as I learned the correct way to roll the R and cut off the N. Once I received the nicest compliment: a parent of one of the students told me I spoke English very well! Ha! I even fooled a native French speaker!
After that school year ended, I worked as a nanny for two precious little French girls living in Portland for the summer while their mother visited family and did some professional photography work. The following fall, I left for Europe with my friend Wayne, spending quite a bit of time in France as well as the French-speaking part of Switzerland. By that time, I was fairly fluent and could have conversations as well as accurately navigate Wayne and I around Europe with a bit of Franglais thrown in when visiting other Latin-based language parts of the world.
I often think back to those years, how a simple desire to do something turned into so much more. It taught me that really anything is possible. I had aimed too low initially when I asked for the volunteer position. I should have aimed higher. I’ve been reminded of this over the years with the building of the cat empire. A simple desire turned into something so huge, so beyond the scope of what was first imagined. Even things that others say are impossible
This past week my husband took me to a preview of “Eddie the Eagle,” a movie set to open at the end of February. The movie depicts the true story of Eddie Edwards, an Olympic ski jumper from Great Britain. When Eddie was a kid he dreamed of being an Olympian. Only Eddie was not athletic and Eddie had problems with his legs that caused him to have extended stays in the hospital and wear leg braces for much of his childhood. Still, though, despite all the impossibilities, Eddie was determined to be an Olympian. The movie shows Eddie’s amazing journey to the 1988 Olympics in Calgary. It is a truly remarkable story. Totally unbelievable really. Insane almost. Eddie was more determined that anyone else I’ve ever known. His story is so incredibly inspiring. I recommend that everyone go see “Eddie the Eagle” when it opens. Watch it twice and then #flylikeEddie.
This brings me around to #6 on my list of 10 things you probably didn’t know about me: I love to prove people wrong. It’s an amazing thing to do that which other people tell you can’t be done. It’s even better when the outcome helps people all over the world. Go see the movie….. you’ll see what I mean.