Pécheur to Pêcheur

Last night was the last weekly Bible study of the semester for the group of students I've been meeting with each Wednesday night. It was also monumental because I volunteered to lead it. So I arrived early at Le Shamrock, the Irish bar where we meet, having printed out Bible passages and did my usual prep work, of course this time in French. When the others arrived, late, I was actually unsure of whether I was still leading. There've been some changes to the group the last two weeks (almost a completely different group this time) and no one acknowledged that I was leading. So let me confess that not only did I almost up and leave after waiting alone for 15 minutes (it's been canceled before without me receiving word), but, when the bartender listened to our drink orders, I, thinking someone else was leading, ordered a beer. Well, the minute my 1664 was plopped in front of me, in all its golden smoothness, and I had taken a sip, everyone was like, "It's John who's leading tonight." So I guess I'd be rising to the occasion after all.

After cautioning them that I might not understand everything they said, usually an indispensable quality for Bible study leading, I said, "We're gonna do a little Bible study à l'américaine!" And I had them share "high's and low's" from their weeks, although they insisted on "plus et moins." I've said before how reticent French students can be. I was not prepared for them to be hesitant to share with each other about their weeks, but the braver ones pushed the rest of the group to participate and it worked!

"Now, just to make the link," I said, "there are lots of plus and moins in Luke 5:1-11. But I really did this opening activity simply to share a piece of my culture with you." And we jumped into the deeper waters of this passage.

It was the story of Jesus calling Peter to follow him after providing an unprecedented catch of fish to this fisherman and his friends, telling Peter, "Do not fear; from now on you will catch people." Well, the funny thing about French and this passage is, the word for "fisherman" is "pêcheur" and the word for "sinner" is "pécheur," pronounced exactly the same. Needless to say, the following hour and a half was full of humor and constant precision of what kind of fisher/sinner we were talking about.

Just imagine the possibilities (taken from this Bible passage):
"Jesus, I've already sinned all night, but if you say so, I'll lower my nets." (pretty honest on his part!)
"Remove yourself from me, Jesus, I am a fisherman" (duh)
"From now on you will sin for people!" (Did Jesus really say that?)

What made this Bible study really special was our discussion at the end about trusting Jesus when he speaks to us. I asked them, "Is Jesus telling you to lower your nets? Is he asking you to let him into your boat? Is he calling you to leave everything? Is he calling you to follow him?" How is Jesus telling us to put our faith in him in our lives right now? After some truly open sharing from everyone in our group of 7, I encouraged them to continue to support each other in their walks with God, after hearing what's going on in each other's lives.

Then we all went out for kebabs. It was a great way to end my experience with the French Bible study group this semester.

My new housemate

He's 80 years old. He grew up in East Germany and graduated from high school in the forties. He went on to study physics at college, followed by internship in Leningrad, where I believe he met his Russian wife. Even though his studies of English were cut short by the government, he had to learn it when he started working for an East German company that was developing computers. As he explained in fragments of French clauses, it would have been impossible to translate the vocabulary of English technology into German.

I've never met anyone like this guy. Despite certain similarities he shares with my late grandpa (in age and occupation...and maybe German-ness), he grew up in a completely different universe that I no so little about. I'm so glad to get the chance to meet him, someone who knows what it was like before, during, and after the splitting of Germany.

I was just telling my host mom that it puts things into perspective to hear his story. I don't think I have the right anymore to worry about what I'm going to do with my life after college. Compared to the situation in Germany at the start of the Cold War, there are lots of certainties in my life right now.

I look forward to hearing more about his life in the two weeks he'll be here.

I passed the DELF B2

Yesterday I took the exam for the Diplôme d'études en langue française (French language study diploma). Not only was this as near as I'll get to a culminating test of all the French I've learned in my life, but I took the test at the Institut de Touraine, where I studied for two weeks at the beginning of this semester, and it was good to reflect on how I've grown this semester. (This is important to note, because, like everyone who's left an American university to study overseas, I have trouble feeling like I've learned anything this semester.)

It started with a reading comprehension test. We read articles about identity theft and online drug prescriptions. I got a nearly perfect score on this section. The funny thing about French is, the more we progress into the 21st century, the more English is incorporated in the language (e.g. internet, meeting, marketing, packaging, timing: these are all standard French words.) And it's not like French were a different language to begin with. Sixty percent of our language is French already. Hardly more than another dialect.

Next was writing, where I composed a fuming letter to a mayor from the south of France, demanding that he not build a 4-star hôtel in my family's favorite campsite. Don't you value the environment, Monsieur le Maire?

Then there was listening comprehension (more internet stuff...i.e. English) and after lunch I had to prepare a presentation on orientation weeks on French college campuses.

After waiting another stressful, nervous hour, I got my results. I passed!

I was so happy, rode the Christmas ferris wheel at the end of the Rue Nationale. There was an awesome sunset that you could really only see as you rose above the city. That and the cathedral, the basilica, the Loire River, and the whole city decorated in Christmas lights.

When I got home and told my host mom I passed she grabbed me and did the kissing cheeks thing (les bises) and exclaimed, "CHAMPAGNE!" Glad it's over with.