Learning French

I have a client who is French. I saw Pink Panther and the protagonist was French. "Zis is chief inspektor Jhaq Clusseou spikkingg on the feone". Man, there is something to this language, I decided. And so I did what any curious, up-to-no-good character would do. I started learning French. My method was simple. I had no time to go poring over books and webpages and buying fancy CDs and DVDs. No siree! Me, I'm efficient. In fact, I'm the epitome of efficiency and smartness. I decided to put my iPod to good use.

I downloaded podcasts and thus began my journey into the world of langue française. The only bad part was my spellings. But hey, you don't wave a piece of meticulous French writing around some Frenchie's nose when you want to ask him where the loo is - you TALK.

I travel to office by bus. It takes me a good hour too. I plugged in my iPod and started going through lesson 1. "Bonjour! Je m'appelle Shivani. Très bien!!" I muttered to myself a thousand times. My neighbour gave me a stare that would have frozen lava in its tracks. I smiled forgivingly at him and continued in a louder voice. "Parlez-vous l'anglais? Oui Oui. Très bien Très bien". That day, I blurted all the French I had learnt to my client and boy, was he stunned or what! :-)

Mission accomplished.