1: using both hands with equal ease
2: unusually skillful : versatile
3: characterized by duplicity : double-dealing
Thinking about a versatile and "double-dealing" life in France, I thought about the American ex-pats I met in France that seemed to be living 'ambidextrous' lives, staying American and marrying into French culture.
Through a few mutual friends, I met a young couple that had been married for about a year. He was American and she was French, and for the most part they spoke French together, since almost everyone else we knew was French. What was interesting, though, was when they disagreed on something or started to bicker, he would switch to English and she would speak French faster. They were both fluent in both languages, but I couldn't help but think that this was their way of "fighting dirty," pointing out something they did better than the other, and something they would always be the best at.
My American advisor met her husband when she was doing graduate work in France, and they married and had two children. Per our program rules, we were only supposed to speak French with her, but she did tell me that she tried to speak English at home with her children so they would grow up bilingual. They were about 10 and 14, and she said that they had suddenly become very disinterested in learning English. She would speak to them in English, and they would reply in French. When they brought friends home from school, they would beg her not to speak any English or would try to avoid her. She said she wasn't sure if it was just because she was their mom, because she was American, or some combination of both that made it too embarassing for them to try to explain to their friends.
Falling in love with France, my friends and I talked about how 'easy' it would be if we could just get married and stay there forever. It seemed like a nice thought (one I still think about, I admit), but I wonder how much harder it would be to marry someone with a different language and culture, even if I considered myself to be appreciative of the culture and proficient in the language. Would there always be barriers and differences? Could I ever completely absorb a new culture? Just like writing with my left hand, I imagine living in a new culture is something I could do, but it would always be a little wobbly and illegible.
2: unusually skillful : versatile
3: characterized by duplicity : double-dealing
Thinking about a versatile and "double-dealing" life in France, I thought about the American ex-pats I met in France that seemed to be living 'ambidextrous' lives, staying American and marrying into French culture.
Through a few mutual friends, I met a young couple that had been married for about a year. He was American and she was French, and for the most part they spoke French together, since almost everyone else we knew was French. What was interesting, though, was when they disagreed on something or started to bicker, he would switch to English and she would speak French faster. They were both fluent in both languages, but I couldn't help but think that this was their way of "fighting dirty," pointing out something they did better than the other, and something they would always be the best at.
My American advisor met her husband when she was doing graduate work in France, and they married and had two children. Per our program rules, we were only supposed to speak French with her, but she did tell me that she tried to speak English at home with her children so they would grow up bilingual. They were about 10 and 14, and she said that they had suddenly become very disinterested in learning English. She would speak to them in English, and they would reply in French. When they brought friends home from school, they would beg her not to speak any English or would try to avoid her. She said she wasn't sure if it was just because she was their mom, because she was American, or some combination of both that made it too embarassing for them to try to explain to their friends.
Falling in love with France, my friends and I talked about how 'easy' it would be if we could just get married and stay there forever. It seemed like a nice thought (one I still think about, I admit), but I wonder how much harder it would be to marry someone with a different language and culture, even if I considered myself to be appreciative of the culture and proficient in the language. Would there always be barriers and differences? Could I ever completely absorb a new culture? Just like writing with my left hand, I imagine living in a new culture is something I could do, but it would always be a little wobbly and illegible.
