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Jul. 29th, 2011 05:04 amAt 5 pm today I stopped and thought "I've done all the work I came here for." This is not quite true - I have a few hours follow-up on Saturday. Anyhow,tomorrow I can do anything. What I wanted to do was go to Lunel, but the busses don't run there. Aigues-Mortes is my second choice. The only reason it's a second choice is because I've been there before. summer bus timetables area but limiting, and the idea is to take a long bus and see the cuntryside.
Today I finally asked someone why I got such extreme reactions to my French (either everyone is "Oh wow" about it or they assume I don't speak a word) and I found out that there has been a wild wave of Australians through Montpellier this last year. Some of them speak just a little French. Most speak none. I'm an anomaly, it seems. What this means to me is that most of the Aussies are younger than I am, for elsewise they would have learned French at school, as I did.
My accent in French is so strange right now. It's no longer quite as broad Australian, but it's not French, either. I'm picking up on the southern accent, I think. I even found myself saying 'lou' which is not just a southern accent, but Occitan. Someone just accepted that of course I understood some Occitan, too, which suggests that all the languages of this region are mingling in my mind in an odd way. I was going to read some Mistral this evening, to see what happens, but instead I happened across a TV program (harmonyis still happening in TV-land) and got to hear someone explain in good Occitan how there was a new program to teach the language in 7 months, with a certificate at the endand that some cool theatre is happening. That settled it. I not only know what day it is, I don't know what languages I know or speak. I'm turning into one of my own characters.
I now understand the street development and layout of Montpellier. This does not explain why I get lost when it rains and find places when the sun shines. I can get lost in blocks I've visited just five minutes earlier. It's altogether interesting. Also interesting is that the markets are all fresh produce or crafts or clothes - nothing second hand. There is just one more that is supposed to have books, but it's just as well I found my books elsewhere.
And that's it from me. I'm beyond tired and plan to watch junk TV.
Today I finally asked someone why I got such extreme reactions to my French (either everyone is "Oh wow" about it or they assume I don't speak a word) and I found out that there has been a wild wave of Australians through Montpellier this last year. Some of them speak just a little French. Most speak none. I'm an anomaly, it seems. What this means to me is that most of the Aussies are younger than I am, for elsewise they would have learned French at school, as I did.
My accent in French is so strange right now. It's no longer quite as broad Australian, but it's not French, either. I'm picking up on the southern accent, I think. I even found myself saying 'lou' which is not just a southern accent, but Occitan. Someone just accepted that of course I understood some Occitan, too, which suggests that all the languages of this region are mingling in my mind in an odd way. I was going to read some Mistral this evening, to see what happens, but instead I happened across a TV program (harmonyis still happening in TV-land) and got to hear someone explain in good Occitan how there was a new program to teach the language in 7 months, with a certificate at the endand that some cool theatre is happening. That settled it. I not only know what day it is, I don't know what languages I know or speak. I'm turning into one of my own characters.
I now understand the street development and layout of Montpellier. This does not explain why I get lost when it rains and find places when the sun shines. I can get lost in blocks I've visited just five minutes earlier. It's altogether interesting. Also interesting is that the markets are all fresh produce or crafts or clothes - nothing second hand. There is just one more that is supposed to have books, but it's just as well I found my books elsewhere.
And that's it from me. I'm beyond tired and plan to watch junk TV.