I have been here for 2 months and 14 days. In that time I have been making attempt after attempt at getting to know the French students on my floor but every time the conversation progresses past "Bonjour" or "Bonsoir" I am met with stony silence.Tonight I wasn't expecting anything different as I walked in a little bit later than normal to brew my nightly tea water. There was a girl at the sink washing her dishes and I, having to use the sink to get water to boil, apologized as I moved the faucet and turned on the water. Pardon turned into thank you and soon she asked me where I was from.
A conversation sprouted and soon I found her name is Flora and I found myself agreeing to help her edit an email she had written in English. She came to my room 10 minutes later and I edited her letter as I waited for my tea to steep. I told her that if she wanted to practice English I would be more than happy to help and she said if I ever wanted to chat or drink that she lives in room 101. Then she gave me a cup of pudding she had made, a simple gesture.
It was a small thing, but it was a small success to me - a mark that if I stayed here long enough I could quite possibly carve a life for myself.
A conversation sprouted and soon I found her name is Flora and I found myself agreeing to help her edit an email she had written in English. She came to my room 10 minutes later and I edited her letter as I waited for my tea to steep. I told her that if she wanted to practice English I would be more than happy to help and she said if I ever wanted to chat or drink that she lives in room 101. Then she gave me a cup of pudding she had made, a simple gesture.
It was a small thing, but it was a small success to me - a mark that if I stayed here long enough I could quite possibly carve a life for myself.
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