un peu

We definitely have not had a normal winter here in Manitoba this season.  It almost doesn't make me feel like a true Canadian of the North.  I am by no means going to complain about how sunny and mild it is considering I sleep in a hoodie and sweats now.  I do, however, miss how our winters look: pure white everywhere and not just muddy, dirty mush (I don't even bother washing my car while driving in the city...she's hideous already).  The hoar frost this past week was incredible though.  It really brought out the beauty of winter.  It was even better outside the city.

On a "random/cool" note, today on my way to work I happened into a young fellow who said to me in shy English, "Excuse me, do you speak French?"  Well, me having taken my second language course many moons ago until the tenth grade and wanting to help him out the best I could, said in a half confident/half wary way: "uhh...un peu".  He proceeded to ramble off in French and as I listened very intently I realized...I could totally understand him.  I don't know who was more excited, him- when I responded back in (broken) French what he needed, or me- who completely just had a tiny exchange in a second language (bare in mind, this is irregular).

This reminds me of my friend Danielle's and my conversation about her living in Germany and being able to converse in German and actually beginning to think in German.  Makes me really want to buffer up my second language skills.  I had a shining moment of glory and now I want more.