Too much for you

chinese_foodWe decided we would try the Chinese French restaurant for diner that is just a block away from our apartment between the boulangerie (bakery) and the boucherie (butcher). DeAnna was going to walk up and bring it home to eat. When she arrived at the restaurant which has no tables and the food is served cooked but cold she shared her normal phrases that she is learning French and man behind the counter responded moi aussi (meaning me too!) He then asked if she spoke English and she said yes and he spoke enough English to tell her what was beef, chicken and poisson. He didn’t know the English word for fish so DeAnna made the international fish face sign and pretended to swim which made him smile and he said Oui (yes) fish. He then gave her a French lesson on the proper pronunciation of beef and chicken in French with a Chinese accent and had her practice, until she said it correctly to his satisfaction (with the Chinese accent of course).

Then she looked at the containers and asked for 100 grams of beef and chicken (in French) which would have filled one of the small containers, small like less than 2 cups of food. He told her no, too much food (in French of course). She understood and said it was for more than just her. He asked how many people and she told him and he gave her a small amount of both, small like we each got a few bites of the beef and chicken but not even an entire chicken breast if you combine all the meat together. She then asked for rice and he gave her the same small amount. We had just learned in class how to express different degrees of how much you like something so DeAnna gave a compelling argument that she truly adored the rice and she would really appreciate a full container. After he corrected her on how she said rice and she had another mini French lesson he filled her container since she liked it so much. But he couldn’t imagine why anyone would actually need 2 cups of cooked rice. The few bites I did have though were very tasty.

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Bible Translation Day

“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands” (Revelation 7:9, NIV).


“Now, therefore be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that the President is authorized and requested to issue a proclamation designating the 30th day of September in 1967 as “Bible Translation Day” and inviting the governments of States and communities and the people of the United States to observe such day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.”

excerpt, a resolution from Congress, April 19, 1967


In 1966 and 1967, the United States Senate passed a resolution requesting the President proclaim September 30 as Bible translation day. In observation of this unique honor, and in our own tradition, remember the people yet to be reached and the translations yet to be completed.

Read more about the History of Bible Translation Day.

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One month in France

So it’s been one month since we first arrived in France and I thought I would share some of the lessons that I have learned so far outside of class.

  1. Not far means less than a 20 minute walk. Even Joshua uses this when he wants to walk somewhere
  2. Nutella is not peanut butter and can be put on everything from bananas to crepes to just eating it out of the jar
  3. There are 2 knobs that must be turned for the oven to cook, lesson learned
  4. DVD’s sold in Europe will not work in American DVD players (I should have already known this)
  5. American Salad Dressing is 1000 island dressing and French Fries are just called Fries
  6. When the number 9 is written it looks like a lowercase g and the 1 looks like and upside down v, very important when giving your child’s teacher your phone number
  7. Dog owners are not required to clean up after their dogs
  8. It cost 2 Euro to use a public restroom in Paris
  9. Telemarketers will repeat themselves every time you ask them to in French and when you tell them you don’t understand they try again

WC

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French Berets

Notre Dame

Notre Dame

We spent our Saturday touring the city as tourists and I noticed when I went in to buy some overpriced batteries for our camera across the street from Notre Dame that they were also selling berets. We have been living in France for a month now and the only people I’ve seen wearing those were the tourists with the SLR camera’s strapped around their necks. So I really wanted to buy one for everyone in the family but they didn’t have any colors that I liked and I thought it would be better if we could all have matching ones as a family and go back to the Eiffel Tower for a family picture for our family Christmas picture.

Basilique du Sacre-Coeur

Basilique du Sacre-Coeur

So we decided there were several areas in Paris that we wanted to visit and we were informed that there would not be very many weekends left with beautiful weather so we purchased the all day pass for the RER/Metro/bus and had fun with public transportation from our flat in Massy to Notre Dame to the Louvre where we were able to walk in the grass, we also were able to watch the French relaxing in the grass practicing their French kissing. From the Louvre we went to a G rated children’s park called the Jardins d’Acclimation. This garden had animals, rides, playgrounds and a water play area if it would have been a little warmer, this was not really a touristy place but it was full of locals and we were able to try and use a little of our French here. From the garden we headed north to the Basilique du Sacre-Coeur, this was a beautiful church on top of the hill, we really liked this part of Paris and we will be going back here to spend some more time.

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Battle of the mind

It is very tempting to let yourself get critical or suspicious of others with the incidents that occur on a seemingly daily basis. From not being able to understand your child’s homework, to your child being picked or pushed down by another student and not being able to communicate to the teacher what is happening, to feeling overwhelmed with all of the information that you are required to retain, and judging people that speak rudely to you. This does not just happen when you are living in a new country and trying to learn a new language, but there is always a battle for your thoughts to judge and be critical of others it just has been more apparent to me as I sit back and reflect on my day.

I’ve been reading the book Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer and have come to the understanding that learning a new language is not only training me how to speak a new language but it is teaching me how to be humble and have a non judgmental mind. Hebrews 4:12-13 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” This includes our thoughts, as I fill my mind with new vocabulary I must also remember to fill my mind with whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy. If I don’t think about such things I’m leaving an opening on the frontline of the battlefield of my mind.

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Library Visit

We finally were able to use our Library (Bibliothèque) cards for the local library. They have a large kids section, which is good for the boys and for us since we are reading at a child’s level, and we have read all the books that we brought with us now several dozen times so we were excited to get some new books to read to the kids at night. We knew that they would all be in French but we didn’t realize that they would have the same books that we brought with us. The first picture is the book we brought to France the second one is one of the books that we picked up today. Joshua wants to know where the Dr. Seuss books are at, I told him that we would keep looking next time to see if we could find La Chat Chapeaute which is available on Amazon so I would think it would be in the library. Doesn’t everyone eat green eggs and ham?

Our Book from USA

Our Book from USA

Book from French Library

Book from French Library

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Playmobil Funpark

We found a great place for the kids to play that was not expensive, not an easy task around Paris, and provided several hours of energy burning fun for the boys and mom and dad. We took a break from studying and just listened to other people speak French for a few hours.

Playmobil has a brilliant way to try and sell all their toys, they let you pay 2 Euro and then you can play with all of the toys and setup cites and build pirate ships and then they have you walk through the store to exit where you can purchase all the toys that you just played with. I would rather go back every few weeks and pay 2 Euro instead of 200 Euro for just one of the castles, not to mention they have people that go around and put all the toys back in the proper section so the pirate pieces don’t get mixed up with the farm or castle sets.

I’ve included a few pictures of the fun that we all had, plus we got to ride the bus to get there which both boys thought was as much fun as playing at the fun park.

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Practical French Conversation Test

french manAs I walked to school to drop something off I had my first real conversation in French with a man on the street that was more than just hello. I greeted the older man with the typical greeting of bonjour monsieur, half the times I don’t even get a response but this time the man responded and asked me a question! And I knew what he asked! So I answered, then he asked another question – I knew what he asked. The next question I wasn’t quite sure so I shared that I was a student and the name of my school. Then he asked if I was an Arab, and I thought the 2 days we spent learning nationalities and responses were a waste of time but I knew how to answer. Then he spent the next few minutes explaining to me what he did for a living and where he worked, I didn’t get everything that he said but I felt that it was a successful conversation and I’m actually learning the language. Now I need to decide if it was the beard that made him think I was an Arab or he was just guessing and that was his first guess, he seemed to be ok with the fact that I was an American. Hopefully I will run into this man again!

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Kodiak Flight | JAARS

This plan left JAARS @ 12:24 PM ET today for Papa New Guinea – Listen to the pilot speak about the flight plan and how you can be praying for the flight that will deliver the plan that will be assisting with Bible Translation in the region.
Kodiak Flight | JAARS

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Mailing a letter

logo_antehomeToday I had to mail a letter via registered mail with a form that we received with our visas and a form that our language school gave us. So after lunch I walked to the post office since they are closed for lunch from 12-2pm, this is France. So I walked into the post office and I was surprised to see everyone sitting in nice looking chairs and there was no line anywhere, then I heard a beep and someone got up and walked up to the counter. So I needed to take a number, this was just like the DMV with no one smiling, workers standing at their windows with out customers, lots of forms, and lots of warning about what you can and can’t do.  There were about 10 people in front of me so that gave me the opportunity to watch how to interact with the front counter. I know the proper greetings and how to tell someone that I’m learning French and that seems to get a much better response if I start with this, then when they ask me a question and I have to tell them I don’t speak French. The lady who helped me was very kind and made sure I affixed the forms correctly on the envelopes. So I was able to get both letters mailed and I was on my way with the receipts that I’m suppose to carry with me at all times. I now can mail a letter. Yeah!

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