The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.2003, Síða 21

Vol. 58 #1
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
19
Excerpt—On language:
We have taken to practicing French
again now that we are back in Paris. The only
problem is no one here wants to speak it with
us. Upon entering restaurants, the verbal
exchange usually goes something like this:
Us: (smiling) Bonjour!
Them: (not smiling) Hi.
Us: (still smiling) Nous voudrions un
menu s'il vous plait.
Them: (huge rolling of the eyes as if to
say? “your French sucks” so I will have to
come down to your level?) Ok? here you go.
Us: (frustrated that they have come
down to our level. Continue in French; how
else will we learn after all?) Tres bien? est-ce
que c'est possible utilizer la salle de bain?
Them: (glare, perturbed that we will not
just give it up already) Yeah, it’s over there.
Us: (satisfied that we didn't back down
and switch to English, huge smiles plastered
on our faces.)
Merci beaucoup. Deux cafes aussi!
Merci.
For the record? our French got good
enough over the course of a few weeks that
the waiters started answering us in French!
P.S. Nothing I have seen in Europe so far
looks like I had seen it in photos. There is
something indescribably surreal about stand-
ing at the top of the Eiffel tower (souvenir
vendors circling like sharks below waiting
for our descent before springing on us with
-----------------------------\
GIML1
AUTO LTD.
Your Ford, Mercury,
Lincoln Dealer
Covering the Interlake
plastic replicas) or picnicking in Trafalgar
Square (pigeons dive-bombing us hoping
for a bite of that chutney sandwich) that no
travel guide can possibly capture without
whisking you away from home and plop-
ping you down in front of it.
Last entry:
We are on the plane home to Canada
now. This will not be the last time I visit
Europe, or even the second to last time.
The flight attendant hands me a coffee with
cream and sugar. She is from the United
States, and addresses me as dear. Already I
miss the short espressos they serve in
Europe and the way it seems to taste dif-
ferent in another language. The man beside
us is from Toronto, he leans over and says.
“Man, it'll be great to get back to Canadian
money and not have to deal with the
pound anymore eh?”
Eh.
I missed that. Yeah? it'll be good to get
home.
Until my next trip, kindest regards to
you all.
Atkins&Pearce
Canada
HUGH HOLM
Plant Manager
P.O. Box 101 Bldg. 66, Portage road
Southport, Manitoba Canada ROH 1N0
(204) 428-5452 FAX: (204) 428-5451