As some of my dear readers will already know, I’m off to Montreal, Canada this weekend. Why, you ask? Why not? I’ve never been to Canada before, despite the fact that it is a mere 5 & 1/2 hour drive away (a fact that will be tested today!). Besides, I need to get away for a while.
I’m a little nervous – okay, I guess I’ll just come out and admid I’m flat out scared – about the prospect of going somewhere where the people don’t speak ENGLISH. It’s not that I’m some sort of English/American purist or something, it’s just that I don’t speak French AT ALL. Now, I’ve been told by several people so far that I’ll be fine – Canada is a bi-lingual country, after all… but this is Quebec, the heart of the ‘French is better than English’ crowd. So we’ll see how well I get along. I’m just going to make sure I memorize the French for: “Pardon me, do you speak English?” and “Sorry, I don’t speak French.”
I’ll audioblog about it from the road if I can. Until then – have fun!
-Keithius
Bon chance, et bon voyage, mon ami! Téléphonez-moi quand vous arrivez à votre maison. (Good luck, and have a good trip, my friend! Call me when you get home.) Not speaking French, you shouldn’t find much of a language barrier in Montréal. If you were in Québec or anywhere in France, you’d find yourself in some pretty hot water, but most people will speak English where you’re going. I can’t wait to see pictures and hear all about the trip. I have a lot of French heritage in my blood, and my great-grandparents lived in Canada too. But it was so long ago, I don’t remember much about it. I’d love to go back and see the countryside, now that I’m old enough to appreciate it. Your experience(s) on this trip may inspire me to do so! Maybe I’ll even tackle Québec….