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swimchick.net » Blogs » Move to Switzerland and learn french

Move to Switzerland and learn french

posted March 14

For those of you who actually read my blog in its entirety (which I encourage you all to do because my words are pretty cool when strung together…), you know that I’ll be living in Switzerland for the summer. My aunt got a job there and I’ll be living with her as she moves there.

So anyway, yes, Switzerland will be my home for a few months if everything goes according to plan. I’m always paranoid about last minute OH JESS YOU CANT GO~ so eh, we’ll see what happens. I’ll be reallll pissed if they tell me I can’t go out of nowhere. PISSSSED. I think Europe needs me. I traveled through half the middle east last summer, and this summer its my destiny to see Europe. France, Germany….ROME!!!!!! I wanna roam in rome DANCE IN FRANCE….damnit nothing rhymes with Germany. Ok Germany ruined it.

I’ll be living in Geneva and it is recommended that I know lots and lots of french, so I’ve been learning. Apparently it’s the ‘business language’ over there and all the signs are in french so, better get with the times~ It’s okay since I’ve been learning french since March of 2008 so I’m pretty damn good at it. I can write and read it well, and the speaking is not a huge issue since my arabic language accent helps me pronounce french words correctly. Everything is great – except the understanding part. Must the french speak so fast? At least the frenchies in my learning CD.

Seriously I popped in my french audio cd, mind you this is a beginners cd, and WHAT THE HELL??? First off the lady is like OKAY, NOW LISTEN TO THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT A PONY IN FRENCH…and I’m like ok whatever go talk about your hairy stallion and I’ll eavesdrop from North America.

Then all I hear is like JèS USYDUèèèèèSDU FRENUèèèèèèSèèèèèèèv COUP Jè MA CHEIRUIR(*#$&# THATS ALL I HEAR!!! I’m like what in the helllllllllll is this? If this cd was labeled “Why you’ll never learn french“ yes it would be successful but can a poor girl just learn another language without being punished like this? My god.

What kills me is afterwards the lady is like, DID YOU GET THAT? And I’m like HELL NO BETSY I DIDN’T FREAKIN GET THAT. I got the English you said before that but everything else in the other language IM SUPPOSED TO BE LEARNING – NO I DIDNT GET IT. WHY DONT YOU TRANSLATE AND SPEAK SLOWER YOU OLD TIMER I HAVE 2 MONTHS TO PICK THIS LANGUAGE UP AND FLIRT WITH BOYS AND THIS IS NOT HELPING!!!

Sorry guys but this is quite frustrating. It’s alright though, because I’m making progress regardless of my dumb audio cd instructor betsy (I just named her this). She’s kinda slacking in the teaching department but I make do with what I have.

14 comments |

Comments

  1. LOL at your learning experience with the cd

    my mom promised me that we’ll go to france together in the summer. i also hope things go according to plan if we do go. D:

    saera posted this March 14 * # Reply

  2. lol Jess, I am glad you will be living there for a couple of months, it is always nice to visit new places and get to know the people that live there. I hope it all goes just the way you planned. I’ve always wanted to learn frensh, maybe i’ll try it out next semester ;)

    AWESOME textures btw.

    Rafa posted this March 14 * # Reply

  3. To speak french, act like you’re a little drunk and slur your words.. Britain is very nice in the summer ;)

    Rachel posted this March 14 * # Reply

  4. Jessicaaaa I don’t think you remember me but 3/4 years ago we had some contact cause I loved your youtube videos and tutorials and stuff. AND NOW YOURE MOVING TO EUROPE. thats awesome. I dont really live in Switzerland, I live in Holland but its still awesome.

    Leonie posted this March 14 * # Reply

  5. Dude I’m a huge beginner to french. My mum home schooled me from the beginning of high school, so I didn’t learn any french. At all. weeps
    And I know what you mean, it’s so hard learning on a cd XD I’m like woah woman stop frickin fast fowarding your voice!!
    But seeing as it’s almost spring, sunny outside, and you’ve been talking about big adventures and learning french, I think I might crack open that beginners book again. Thanks ;)

    Natalie posted this March 14 * # Reply

  6. Ooh, my cousin is studying abroad in France at the moment and she’s living by Lake Geneva, apparently it is beautiful! Sounds like a pretty sweet deal, quite jealous actually! But hope you have fun! It’s pretty impressive that you’re learning French off your own back too.. bit too much effort for me I’m ashamed to say! Good luck :)

    Harriet posted this March 14 * # Reply

  7. I TOTALLY get what you’re talking about. I’ve been taking French for awhile, yet, I cannot understand any of those audio CDs. Everything else is good except that. It’s all so rapid and I’m all omg aidez-moi.

    Good luck, though! It’s a beautiful language and I’m sure that as long as you can pick certain words out you’ll be fine. ;)

    alicia posted this March 14 * # Reply

  8. What kills me is afterwards the lady is like, DID YOU GET THAT? And I’m like HELL NO BETSY I DIDN’T FREAKIN GET THAT. I got the English you said before that but everything else in the other language IM SUPPOSED TO BE LEARNING – NO I DIDNT GET IT. WHY DONT YOU TRANSLATE AND SPEAK SLOWER YOU OLD TIMER I HAVE 2 MONTHS TO PICK THIS LANGUAGE UP AND FLIRT WITH BOYS AND THIS IS NOT HELPING!!!

    LOL!!!! LMAO!! THIS IS SO FUNNY. Oh btw Jess, I just wanted to tell you that your site is THE TOP SITE on the internet – well, to me .. and your blogs is really what keeps me coming.. not the tutorials not nothing .. THE BLOGS! AHHH THEYRE SO FUNNY!

    Homoud posted this March 14 * # Reply

  9. (i feel like i over-comment on your site. haha. sorry, i’ll take it down a notch – but…)

    i’ve been studying french for three years now and i STILL don’t understand haallff of what any cd sayss. hahaa if you’re trying to learn french it’s def not gonna happen through audio. french people talk so fast D:

    Dalia posted this March 14 * # Reply

  10. Hope you have fun in Switzerland. Are you gonna be updatign your site even from Europe? Personally I hope you do becuase this is like a newspaper for me haha. And I nearly died from laughing at the “betsy” thing. LMAO Oh and I know what you mean about the french tapes. Our French teacher has totally given up on using them anymore because NO ONE can understand them.

    Patris posted this March 14 * # Reply

  11. I don’t know, but I found that the Michel Thomas CD helped me with the French language, also listening to music in French.
    My favourite French singers are Carla Bruni and Francoise Hardy. Listening to them sing while looking at the lyrics made me realize one thing: I’m always going to have an accent when speaking French :(

    Helen posted this March 14 * # Reply

  12. haha the french thing is funny, I learned spanish when we moved to mexico, probably the best way to learn a language is just by being with people who fluently speak it, or at least in my case it was… anyway I think it’s cool that you already know some french, that will make it a lot easier when you get to Swirzerland, oh and thanks for the textures :)

    Anna posted this March 15 * # Reply

  13. your so funny XD I’ve been learning french for 4 years now and i still can’t understand what they say, they talk to fast. seriously, a french person can be speaking for 2 whole minutes and all i get is je _“ today in class we learned that apprently french people don’t smile to strangers cuz they think its pointless. which is why americans think the french are arrogant lol. i dunno how it is in switzerland but maybe you should keep your smile down low. oh and we learned that the french flirt by staring. thats right. staring and no smile. keep that in mind and maybe you’ll be catching cute boys like flies on a fly trap rofl

    numra posted this March 15 * # Reply

  14. I know what you mean about some of these CD programs. Luckily in the Geneva area people speak much slower than, say, in Paris or on this CD. So you should have an easier time adjusting. Geneva’s a beautiful town. Hope you have fun! :)

    Learn French online posted this March 31 * # Reply

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