I feel weird. You know that terrible terrible feeling you have when you finish a great book? That's how I feel. Except it's more than just finishing the average good book. You can always pick up the book and read it again, which brings some comfort to its completion . . . But do you remember how you felt when you finished the last Harry Potter book? That's how I feel. Ya, you can pick it up again and read it, but you won't ever be able to read new Harry Potter text. No more surprising Potter plotlines, no more characters, no new funny happenings. When i finished the seventh book, I think I just kind of existed around the house for a few days. It was so sad! Just this feeling of helplessness. Now what am I going to do?
Well, today's a repeat of that. French 321 is over. I just took my final and then kind of wandered aimlessly on campus for a while before I had to go to work. Yes, I will continue in the language, but French 321 is done, as is its fantastic teacher. I have to admit, I'm very surprised by this . . . [feeling]ness. It's a hard feeling to describe. I don't think I'm sad . . . no, I am. But I'm also happy; but it's a weird happy.. I appreciate the good times I had, but now it's gone..
French is hard. The grammar's always made any French
class difficult, but this class especially since it's titled Advanced Grammar. This is the class where those of us who have struggled through learning French on paper are thrown into a class with those who have been immersed in the language for two years with the catalytic help of our Heavenly Father. Yes, the return missionaries. I was pretty nervous, sure they would all find me stupid. Throw on top of it that I would have the department's hardest teacher, a true Française. She wrote my previous textbook and oversees all student French teachers.
class difficult, but this class especially since it's titled Advanced Grammar. This is the class where those of us who have struggled through learning French on paper are thrown into a class with those who have been immersed in the language for two years with the catalytic help of our Heavenly Father. Yes, the return missionaries. I was pretty nervous, sure they would all find me stupid. Throw on top of it that I would have the department's hardest teacher, a true Française. She wrote my previous textbook and oversees all student French teachers. But I was wrong. The return missionaries were kind and really respected that I had gotten to this point just through books. And my teacher was incredibly understanding and supportive as I struggled through. There was a ton of information, but she was great at showing us how to simplify it all. She told us at the beginning of the class that it would be hard, but that she guaranteed results. Well, she was right. I've learned so much. I'm really sad to leave the grammar behind (who am I kidding, it's never left behind, but you know what I mean..) because I feel like there's still so much more I need to learn; I'm kind of tempted to pull out the grammar book for fun and peruse through it; it feels like an old friend, its covers all bent, pages scribbled with charts and hints, spine creased . . . But more than the course, I'm sad to leave the people. I've made some friends in that class. And even the people who didn't necessarily become friends. I've seen a few of them on campus and they always stop and we talk for 5-10 minutes.
There was a cheese night a bunch of us attended in order to get one of four required cultural activities. I looked frantically around for people I knew and saw no one. The girl I was with had to take off and I found myself sitting with people I didn't know. And then, to the rescue! came some of the guys from my class. People I didn't really know very well. But we all sat together and had a great time. So many laughs throughout the semester. It was just a very warm class. I hope to see them all in future classes, but know it will never be the same group. Sad. A warm class, that was the perfect descriptor. And of course, I will miss the teacher who taught us well and also got to know us, who had us sing God Be With You Till We Meet Again (en français, of course) at the final, and who invited us to her house for a FHE/end of the semester party. Such good times.
Well, that's where I'
m at...
m at... I hope you don't mind future posts that may come in french. I do love it so
1 comment:
morgan, i don't know if you even really know me. but i was in this class with you last semester. and i have to say, i 100 percent agree with everything you've said. i hate grammar, but i miss that class a lot. mlle. thompson is phenomenal. ahhh. i love that you put this exact feeling in words! anyway, i hope all is well. :)
love,
emily
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