January 16, 2005

12:12pm
Ugh. Trying to convince my body that it is not really dying.

4:55pm
Well, the jig is up, the word is out, they finally found me…

I went sale shopping today with Natalia, Helene, Jo, and a Russian Au Pair named Ania. Before we left, I was sitting with Helene and Jo telling them about how Natalia still thinks I understand next to no French and how she always makes a point of speaking to me really slowly and loudly and how she present me to people as “the Assistant who only speaks a little French” (Actually, that is how I am known to all the other English-speaking assistants too.) Anyway, I mentioned to Jo that Natalia would be really surprised to hear me speak in French to Helene or Dagmar or Sophie or anyone.

Anyways, we all went out to Center Ville to go into shops and Ania and I dragged behind a little and talked about what we did over Christmas vacation. Natalia turned to Jo and asked her if we were speaking in French or English. Jo listened to the conversation a little, then announced that we were speaking in French. Natalia was totally surprised. So now she is going to think I’ve been stonewalling her (which I have, but it was quite literally with her assistance because you can’t stonewall someone who doesn’t already think you are an idiot.) Anyway, people tell me I should be annoyed that some people speak to me like I’m an idiot or that I am known as “the Assistant who doesn’t speak French” but honestly, I don’t care. I’d rather have people think I speak and understand less French than I really do. I get to hear some interesting things that way. (I’m also lazy. See, if I’m with another English assistant who thinks I don’t speak any French, I can get them to do things for me that they normally wouldn’t do). But I guess the main reason is that it amuses me. It is like people see me as a child and let their guard down around me.