Hello friends and family!

Again, thanks so much to you for bothering to read my ramblings, and a special thanks to those who find a moment to write back. I just love hearing from you.

The title of this blog entry is “lost in translation”.

I asked Richard if he had any funny stories about miscommunication or translation errors that I could add to this blog. Apparently he has daily issues of this sort, but none of them are at all funny! Richard said that whenever he tries to speak French at work, people look at him as though he is not speaking a human language. The bewildered look on their face suggests that they can not place the sounds he makes as being “of this earth”. He does not get invited to have lunch with the other doctors, though this pleases Richard because he can happily dine alone in the café and switch off.

Richard thinks he has worked out what to say at the “caisse” (checkout) when he is buying something. When he hears the raised pitch at the end of a phrase, he knows it must be a question, to which the answer would be a “oui” or a “non”. He starts by saying “non” because the question is probably “Would you like anything else?”, “Do you have a loyalty card?”, “Do you need a bag?” etc. If they look at him strangely, he changes it to a “oui”. Sorted.

I’ve made many errors in translation that I can only laugh about in retrospect. I once told the shopkeeper when I was trying on some clothes that I had thirteen kids. “Treize!” she exclaimed. “Trois?” she then suggested. Oui, trois. You twat, Cindi.

I often go on excursions with Solomon and I wait for the class at the front of the school. When they come out, the teacher greets me and explains in French where we are going, which metro station we are walking to, which station we change lines at and which one is our final destination. Fortunately, my son is Solomon who always knows exactly where we are going, so I nod and say lots of “oui”s to the teacher and then check the details with my boy. The metro is usually very busy and often the class is split between a couple of carriages. I go into panic mode at this point as it seems so likely that we will lose at least a couple of kids. On one occasion, the teacher was in the other carriage and I wanted to let the kids in my carriage know that we get off at the next stop. With wide eyes, I yelled loudly and repeatedly, “PROCHAINE GARE” which means “next station”, but my mispronunciation made it sound like “PROCHAINE GUERRE” which means “next war”. The kids and other commuters just looked at me like I was nuts.

There have been other minor communication breakdowns, like the other day when I wrote a note to the teacher to say that Solomon would not be at school on Friday or Monday. The teacher was irritated by this and asked him which one would it be- Friday OR Monday? Also, a few weeks back I purchased some smelly out of date meat from the supermarket (that’s karma I guess). This was a rather complex turn of events to attempt to explain to the store worker, which resulted in exasperation and I simply grunted “don’t worry about it” before walking out with no meat and no money.

These miscommunications and misunderstandings can also happen when we are all speaking English. Recently, I was listening to my kids playing some “habitat” game that they invented where they morph into a different animal if they say its name loudly and then imitate the sound it makes. The “inland taipan” (“sssssss”) was one of the characters but Kitty misheard her siblings and thought it was the “inland tightpants”. Those inland tightpants are mighty deadly so you’d better watch out for them!

We took the kids out of school to go on a mid-term break to visit my lovely friend Emma in England. [This is apparently not done in France and some of my French friends were shocked that I told the teachers honestly why the kids wouldn’t be there for the week. Oops.] Emma lives in a lovely little town called Weston Turville near Ayelsbury in Buckinghamshire. There were no translations necessary when we were with Emma and her family, apart from once when I had to explain to my kids what Emma meant when she offered that they stand on the baby’s pram if their “legs are poorly”.

Emma and I were fellow “Roses” at the 1998 Rose of Tralee festival in Ireland back when I was 21 years old. We both returned to the festival the year after and I had the pleasure of staying with Emma’s family in Aylesbury that year. Apart from Emma’s quick trip to Melbourne a few years later which I can barely remember (you know it’s nothing personal Emma- I’m sure I have early onset dementia), we haven’t seen each other since and our last email was just after Solomon was born. Nine years later, when I emailed and told Emma that I was in Paris for the year, within minutes she had invited our whole family to come and stay at her home and within milliseconds I had replied “yes”! It was more than fabulous to see my dear friend again and what a pleasure it was to meet her husband Declan who I feel like I’ve known for years, and her darling three children. William is six years old and has a lot in common with Solomon. Lochy reminded me of a little Vaughan- he was funny and cheeky in a very beautiful and wonderful way and he and Kitty really hit it off. Baby Emilia is 6 months old and absolutely scrumptious. The kids had three days of playing with balls in the backyard, jumping on the trampoline, playing on the jumping castle, going to the park, riding in Declan’s monster truck, watching TV, drawing together and just hanging out. It really was a fantastic time for them. Richard and I enjoyed it just as much as our kids did, especially sitting on the deck in the evening, eating a delicious BBQ and sharing a few beers with our friends in their lovely home.

One more thing before I attach some photos. Earlier this month, I caught up with my friends from high school who were here in Paris celebrating their 40th birthdays. They kindly let me crash the party on several occasions! I was utterly impressed and amazed (though not really surprised) at how those girls kept going and going and going like little Energizer bunnies. Within hours of their touchdown in Paris, we were picnicking at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, clinking (or was it clunking?) our plastic champagne flutes and toasting “Happy Birthday!”. Those girls really know how to travel! They reminded me of Charlie’s Angels or something, where each one had a set of extraordinary skills and together, they were an unstoppable travelling force! Jackie and Tanya and I went to the Moulin Rouge which was actually quite ridiculous and we found it hilarious at times. That show simply would NOT work in Australia… There were way too many “what the heck??!” moments.  I also stayed for a night with them in Reims (we never quite worked out how to pronounce it) which is the unofficial Champagne wine-growing capital. It was delightful to hang out with my friends in Paris and Reims. What a TOP bunch of gals.

 

OK, now for some pictures. Until next time!

Cindi xxxooo

 

Picnic with the CLC girls on their first afternoon in Paris

Jules, Kate, Tan, Jackie and Jacki on the Seine

Queuing up to pay for our entry to Parc Floral which takes about 40 mins on the metro

It was worth it….. Mum’s last day in Paris

Lunch with the girls

Kate and I can tick this off our bucket list now!

 

Me with the birthday girls- Jules, Tanya, Kate, Jackie and Jacki

Enjoying a night cap

Sacre Coeur

The beautiful sisters outside the Moulin Rouge, still laughing after the show!

The towel turban didn’t help Carlton win.

Notre Dame in Reims

A bit excited!

Another gourmet picnic, this time in Reims

Home to a Mother’s Day breakfast ready to enjoy, with handmade cards

We found some grass that we could sit on at Jardin du Luxembourg

Solomon’s “metro” game- quizzing the girls on their understanding of the Paris metro

Just outside our door on the way to school (note traffic and people)- first day in shorts and skirts

A rare glimpse inside the school grounds. This is the courtyard where the whole school plays at lunchtime

Kitty’s excursion to an old school with classrooms still set up like they were in the 1940s

This conference was in the same hotel as Richard’s Dystonia conference. He peeked in and saw a room full of women. Slags, apparently.

My contribution to the “international dinner” at school

Outside the local library- we go to this park sometimes after school for a play

Solomon’s excursion to Forêt d’Ecouen

Out for burgers

Heading to England

Emma, Bessie and Emilia

William and Solomon comparing football codes

Lochy and Kitty

Solomon and Kitty with Declan and his truck

At the brilliant Roald Dahl museum, conveniently 2 train stops from Emma’s place

Having lunch at the Cross Keys pub in Great Missenden- Roald Dahl’s old neighbourhood

Solomon leading us on the village trail

At a gate leading to the field

Through the field to the forest

 

The boys watching a game

Our kids

Heading to London

Seeing the sights on a double decker bus

Monopoly signs

A Beefeater giving us a tour of the Tower of London

The kids plotting their plan to steal the Crown Jewels

Room service dinner

 

Back in Paris- Solomon in my old Soul Contention t-shirt practicing some card tricks

Hummmmmmmmmmm……

In the ‘hood

View from kitchen window

“Richard’s hospital”- Salpêtrière

Bessie, hopefully getting inspired!