Tag: languages

The Expansion of the Battlefield

The good news is that partially I am also a non-profit personnality. A few weeks ago I found an announcement published by an association looking for the russian-speaking volunteers that could help precarious migrants from the ex-USSR in various things related to the administrative procedures in France. I’ve got a response today: they invite me to join their team accomplishing the mission of teaching French to the ex-soviet people. Sounds not bad. I’ll see them in two weeks and a bit later start my volunteerism! I’ll ask to give me rather Ukrainian-speaking students…

I do my best

 

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Chill on Mt. Parnitha, Attica. Summer 2015

Below you can find my announcement saying that I give private lessons of Modern Greek (my favourite language!) and that I’m looking for students to share my love to Greece and its culture. Join me, prices are lower if one learns via skype. It’s funny, it’s the best remedy against the bad mood! The first 30 minutes – for free.

Voscours.fr.

Angry bird

I am an angry bird today. The representative of the Saudi family called me this morning again. Again, they propose me to give French lessons for 20 euros / 1,5h, or for 15 euros / 1h. So, once again, we’re at the beginning of our highly diplomatic dialogue.

For those who doesn’t know: in Paris, this is more or less what one can earn as a housecleaner. NOT as a professor speaking 5 languages and having his/her PhD degree.

And although I do need money at the moment and I love money, the principle is much more important: if there is no respect for the teacher’s work, adieu!

Burning from anger, I’ve made all the way back home by foot, from 2e to 19e arrondissement. The weather is changing all the time, and there are very few people outside.

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Versailles. Easter

It’s stunning to see crowds of people waiting patiently in a long line for the audioguides in Versailles. The guides are “free of charge” or, rather, included in price of the Billet Château. Some know that, others don’t but follow those who know, yet others are informed by us on the spot and then stand in line. This is not the desire of knowledge but the power of money and of what is seemingly free.

One of the last days, our team distributed around 100 000 guides. The price of the ticket is 18 euros. Now count how much money gets the Château de Versailles during holidays. Don’t forget that the audioguides are distributed only to the 50% of the visitors or even less.

I worked there yesterday from 8.45 to 18.30. It was Easter, and all of us were dead by the end of the day. I think that before I was not really tired. Everything is relative.

The Chinese people want the guides especially bad – for the third reason: because their human Guide told them to take the guides, and they obey.

Seems like the Chinese suffer most of all from the cultural shock. After them the Russians come: the representatives of both nations look really disoriented and… wild. But they express the shock in different ways: the Chinese are afraid of getting lost, so they move around in big cohesive groups menacing to smash everything and everyone who is on their way. It’s a collective body with no individuals. The Russians are not that “collective”, but an overt astonishment and failure to communicate is often drawn on their faces.

chateau vers

Here are some of the less FAL (frequently asked languages): Dutch and Deutsch, Arabic, Romanian, Swedish, Breton, British, Hindi, Farsi, Hebrew (asked once only), cantonal Chinese…

  • In which language?
  • Breton.
  • British.
  • Dutch.
  • Deutsch.

Versailles. Suite 2

I’m losing my voice because I talk all the day long when I’m at the Château de Versailles. This Sunday there were toooo many people in the Palace. Today I think all the people who wanted to visit Notre Dame de Paris came to Versailles…