First of all, I dedicate this post to Fabrice whom I had a chance to know for a brief period of 2 hours.
For the first time when I arrived at a railway station in France, I felt totally lost. My being near-fluent (!) in their language didn't help and I realized I still need to learn a lot about how native French people speak french.
Despite the handicap I felt in explaining my queries regarding my train, I somehow was enjoying being lost in Europe. It all seemed liked an adventure where I was the protagonist. I talked to four people about the whereabouts of my train and way to the platform. One old French lady couldn't understand what I was asking exactly but still tried explaining me pointing towards the screen. She seemed as helpless as me. But she kept asking others what I had asked her and then directed me towards a 'personnelle' of SNCF train. I wasn't somehow convinced what the local people tried making me understand or may be I failed to make them understand what I was asking (And here I was thinking I am near-fluent in french!)
After talking to the different people of SNCF twice and thrice, I finally managed to get to the right platform, right train and right seat!
*While all this was going on, on the back of my mind I was wondering that Simran had met Raj on a similar setting in a European Train (That's what DDLJ does to your mind when you watch too much of it).*
I finally found my seat number by the window. And I see a French guy seating on the aisle seat and I ask him if thats the right seat number ..? "Bah.. oui!" , he replies.
Geeky. specky. slender.
I looked at my big valise and wondered where to keep that and how. Before I could say anything about valise being heavy, I think he read my mind for a moment and swiftly picked my valise
and put it on the upper deck and I noticed his athletic strong arms and that he was quite tall.
*Quel gentilhomme!* (What a gentleman!) I regaled in my heart.
I could just murmur merci beaucoup.
A little part of my heart was smitten. Also I was smitten by the beauty of the landscapes I saw through my window.
Through the corner of my eyes I saw him checking his phone and I was eager to talk to him. I checked my ticket again and asked him if this is the right train.
*Ne vous inquietez pas! (Dont worry!) This is the right train and seat* He said smilingly....
.. to be continued
For the first time when I arrived at a railway station in France, I felt totally lost. My being near-fluent (!) in their language didn't help and I realized I still need to learn a lot about how native French people speak french.
Despite the handicap I felt in explaining my queries regarding my train, I somehow was enjoying being lost in Europe. It all seemed liked an adventure where I was the protagonist. I talked to four people about the whereabouts of my train and way to the platform. One old French lady couldn't understand what I was asking exactly but still tried explaining me pointing towards the screen. She seemed as helpless as me. But she kept asking others what I had asked her and then directed me towards a 'personnelle' of SNCF train. I wasn't somehow convinced what the local people tried making me understand or may be I failed to make them understand what I was asking (And here I was thinking I am near-fluent in french!)
After talking to the different people of SNCF twice and thrice, I finally managed to get to the right platform, right train and right seat!
*While all this was going on, on the back of my mind I was wondering that Simran had met Raj on a similar setting in a European Train (That's what DDLJ does to your mind when you watch too much of it).*
I finally found my seat number by the window. And I see a French guy seating on the aisle seat and I ask him if thats the right seat number ..? "Bah.. oui!" , he replies.
Geeky. specky. slender.
I looked at my big valise and wondered where to keep that and how. Before I could say anything about valise being heavy, I think he read my mind for a moment and swiftly picked my valise
and put it on the upper deck and I noticed his athletic strong arms and that he was quite tall.
*Quel gentilhomme!* (What a gentleman!) I regaled in my heart.
I could just murmur merci beaucoup.
A little part of my heart was smitten. Also I was smitten by the beauty of the landscapes I saw through my window.
Through the corner of my eyes I saw him checking his phone and I was eager to talk to him. I checked my ticket again and asked him if this is the right train.
*Ne vous inquietez pas! (Dont worry!) This is the right train and seat* He said smilingly....
.. to be continued
