Language Acquisition & Cultural Integration
“As long as I keep trying, learning, and moving forward!”
Being spontaneous and making friends!
I find myself doing a lot of inner reflection and self-discovery over here in France. I have been isolated from the things I called habit and no longer maintain repetition of lifestyle. This allows me to become only what I desire to be and continue what I desire to keep. Eating habits are the best example. Before college, I preferred my salads drenched with Ranch, in college I took them with with supposedly “light” Italian. Now, I take a simple salad with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Not only is it simplistic in diet, but it’s cheaper and delicious. My food intake is basic, affordable and tasty and now follows the European habit; It’s fantastic.
Some parts of my life have changed, though, and I wonder if it’s positive, negative or maybe just neutral. For instance, I don’t seem to mind as much when my friends drink all the time or get drunk. I party more, though I do not drink at all. I just love to dance; is that wrong? I am more comfortable with my body and in whom I am and I find myself changing my wardrobe to match that confidence. I think now I dress just a bit more fashionable and sometimes a bit more 'grownup' than before. It’s not immodest, but it’s different. Is this bad because of eyes and impressions or good because of confidence levels? I don’t know.
At least my French is improving. I find myself more often letting down my barriers and trying to communicate more freely rather than thinking ‘is my grammar correct?’ or ‘am I pronouncing this right’ and just SPEAKING. My host family is very patient with me and will occasionally offer corrections to words with which I am not familiar. Sometimes, their description of a word contains further words which I do not know, but it’s the thought that counts, I suppose. As long as I keep trying, learning, and moving forward!
