Epic FAIL!

When it comes to language learning, I've uncovered some universal truths:

• You're going to make a million mistakes
• Mistakes won't kill you
• The ability to laugh at yourself really helps
• One step forward, two steps back
• Pride comes before a fall

You see where this is going.

This week I was feeling pretty good about my French progress. In 18 months, I've learned a lot. I have a solid base of grammar and vocabulary. I can read French fairly well. My "ear" has improved dramatically. Speaking is the most difficult, but there are days that I can string a few coherent sentences together. I progress petit à petit. 

This week, everything was put to the test when our downstairs neighbor knocked on our door in a panic, because water was pouring out of the light fixture in her kitchen ceiling. It wasn't hard to understand what she was saying, especially when accompanied with a dramatic charades-like pantomime. Sure enough, we discovered a leak underneath our bathtub. This required a call to our landlord. A phone call! Nothing strikes terror into the language-learner's heart quite like having to talk on the telephone. But I was successful: the plumber was summoned, he understood our need, fixed the leak, and all was well. I felt invincible!

Until part two. After the plumber left, I turned on the tap to run a shower, and lo and behold -- no hot water. I tried the kitchen sink. No hot water there either. And the water pressure was really low. I looked up a few words and grabbed the phone once again. This time, the gas company came to our rescue. I was hosting a friend for coffee when the technician arrived, so I was admittedly a bit preoccupied, but I explained the situation and left him to his work. A mere five minutes later, he showed me a part that he'd replaced and presented me with a paper to sign, speaking in rapid-fire French the entire time. I nodded and smiled and "d'accord-ed" heartily. "C'était très rapide!" I praised, "Merci beaucoup!" In time, my guest left, and I went to test the hot water, relishing in the anticipation of a steamy shower. 

You guessed it....still no hot water. 

3rd phone call. Lots of waiting on hold ("ne quittez pas!"), and then once again some rapid-fire French, of which I only understood the important "He'll call you back." He did call back, and this time Greg answered the phone. The mechanic actually spoke English much better than we speak French, and he told Greg "I already explained to your wife that I couldn't fix the heater because I have to order a part and get clearance from your landlord to proceed with the repair." Ohhhhh. So when he was showing me the part that I thought he'd replaced so efficiently, he was actually telling me he needed to replace it. Looking back on it, all of his quizzical looks at my smiles and praise suddenly made sense! I had to laugh.

That's the most important lesson I've learned in this language journey. How to laugh at myself.

And how to take cold showers.