C'est francaise!

This is what our teacher tells us, when we don't understand something in French class. 'C'est francaise' she goes. Honestly, that does resolve our doubt. Because some things are so inherently french, you just cant question why!

So, i joined french at L'alliance francaise on the 14th of Feb. This is the French-initiation=course. and the class has a lot of students, like moi, who have learnt French either in school/ college.

Anyone who has learnt a foreign language in school/ college would know that we only learn to read/write the language. Speaking it is a far dream, since there are no marks awarded to that particular skill.

Like other foreign language institutes, the teaching methodology here relies on teaching the language using the language and no other. So 'non anglais' is the rule (No English).

First-time French learners seem a little lost sometimes but I think they are doing a great job at picking up the language.

Me and other prior-experienced learners are in fact a bit complexed, when these newbees rattle off un-vingt (1-20) after only 20 minutes of learning it.

Complexes apart, it is a lot of fun. we had a role-play exercise in class the other day. Where i was Madame Trouchet (Secretary to Prof. Lecouer) and my partner was Phillipe ( a student).

We had to practice salutations and farewells in a 2-minute role-play.

Phil: Bonjour Mme, T
Mme. T (Acting like she's typing): Oh, Philippe, Bonjour, Bonjour. Tu vas bien?
Phil: Je vais bien, et vous?
Mme. T (Still typing away): Ca va, Ca va. Bonne Soiree
Phil: Bonne Soiree

Teacher: Tres bien, Superb!

We set an example for the class. and were applauded for our efforts, with only 1 pronunciation mistake.

The day went well. Tres bien.

Au revoir!

Anya

Fun-school

Sunday noticed this green and yellow bus in Nirmal Lifestyle. Actually, noticed isn't the right word, it was standing right in the middle of the scenery.

It had a big board that screamt ' Fun Paatshaala' i.e.Fun-school translated in Marathi/ Hindi.

At first glance, i thought it to be a promotion of Fun-school, the children's' stationery and toys brand.

At 2nd glance, it turned out to be a mobile play-station; one of its firsts in India. The concept works in this way: The bus parks itself in the middle of a mall. It has a host of fun and games inside; e.g: trampolines, obstacle ropes, board-games etc. Parents park the kids in the bus and park themselves in stores around the mall. the kid gets taken care of by the 'Fun paatshala' while the parents continue shopping unhindered. Of course, this comes at a price of Rs. 100 for 30 minutes. An expensive tutorial, must say! But clearly it works, because there was actually a line of kids waiting to enter school.

New ideas for the new age.

Au revoir,
Anya

The boy who wanted a dog

I got lucky last Saturday. Luck to a Bombay-person is a lot of things including getting a fast train when least expected.

I had to make a trip to 'town' to buy a book for Le Francaise, so I woke up early on Saturday, reached Churchgate at 10.45, bought the book and reached back Churchgate at 11.02, and wonder of wonders, there was a 11.03 fast train just waiting for me to board it on the platform. Board I did and so did a little girl, not more than 7 years old. She was accompanied by her mother and they sat opposite to me.

The mom handed the girl a packet of Chips, and then a book, a scruffy, dog-eared bound-at-Mahavir-stores library book. It had a dog on the cover and in bold stood out 'Enid Blyton' and ' The boy who wanted a dog'.

The kid started reading the book almost immediately. I liked the fact that in today's reality-TV and instant-entertainment-driven days, a book still held a little girl's attention.

She read more than 30 pages in 5 stations.

Once the chips packet was emptied of its contents, thirst beckoned. Her mom gave her a bottle of water; thirst sated, she asked for a towel. Mom poassed the towel, she wiped her hands clean, folded the towel and gave it back to mom.

SHe also gave the empty packet of chips back to her mom, which mom dutifully stored in her carry-abg.

nice to see a kid who reads. even nicer to see a kid who cares for the environment.

I couldnt resist and had to strike a conversation with her. She told me that she liked to read and was a member of the local library.

I instinctively wanted to chedck whether she was Loyalty member at out book-store but resisted the urge.

As long as she reads, am ok.

Good luck babe. remember a smile has always helped; stand tall, even if u dont particularly feel lik.

-Anya

How do you explain the following?

Husbands who ill-treat their wives.
Parents who abuse their kids.
Bosses who misuse their power to mis-treat their subordinates.
Teachers who beat up kids, on the pretext of homework not completed. And this,
Kids who ill-treat their parents.
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ncfv-cnivf/familyviolence/html/fvparentsabu_e.html

It IS a scary world out there, i dont think we should be bringing more kids into this sorry world.

I am glad.

http://www.retailangle.com/curr_newsletter.asp

Ciao,
Anya

This is the kid, who needs no introduction, this is the kid from Taarein Zameen Par. the movie which is stealing hearts and over which people of all kinds are shedding tears. Some are taken back to their childhoods, when they too were shunned by the world. Some others are staring at a similar reality with their kids back home. I was just moved by the sheer simplicity with which the story is told.

The movie is a canvass of vibrant colors, which caused kids in the audience to say 'Arre, yeh toh Finding Nemo mein tha'. My respect for Aamir has shot up several notches, as a film-maker and as a person. We definitely need more such movies.

Also, in reference to my previous post, we also need more people to DO! The end-credits leave you with this message, in the most subtle, yet powerful way. it runs through various images of Bombay's street-children; endearing images of a kid asleep in a basket on a construction site, of 2 girls playing on the beach, of moms running behind errant kids, of an entire generation that is calling out to you and me. Although 95% of the audience in the theater didn't stay till the very end of the credits, the handful of us who did gave me Hope. It also made me think, yet again, of what am I doing!

Thanks Aamir, I hope to find some answers.

Ciao,
Anya

iS lIFE bEAUTIFUL?

Was browsing through the pages of the book 'The Banker to the Poor' by Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace price winner, 2006 and the founder of Grameen Bank, Bangladesh. The book starts with the famine of 1974, when a large number of people succumbed to starvation. That propelled this Economics professor to question the very foundations of economic theories; which werent doing much to solve practical problems.

On the way home, in the train, a woman got into my compartment. She,in a word, looked poor, and obviously upset about something. She sat down opposite me, lost in her thoughts. The other women in the compartment, for some reason, could not just let her be. They started asking her where she wished to get off, did she have a ticket, and a number of uncalled for questions. They also brought her to the attention of the cop in the compartment. I intervened and told them 'Just let her be, she's not causing any harm, is she?' They took offence to that, and told me not to unnecessarily worry, they werent causing her any harm either. Thankfully, the cop agrred with wat i said, and told them to not tell her anything.

At the next station, a fruit-seller came in, hawking his wares. The other women in the compartment bought some, the cop bought some too; he handed a fruit to the poor woman. Nice! She took it, and ate it.

Yesterday reminded me again, of all thats wrong with the world, and all that needs to be done. It also reminded me of someone who's done a lot, and made me wonder, yet again, what I was doing! Maybe it IS time to wear some Nikes.

Cheers,
Anya

SigH! it was tooooo good to last!

A sudden change of heart at work caused a sudden, unannounced change in company policy to allow browsing of Mail-sites (Googlo, yahoo, etc.)

The cute facility of chat through gmail made my life at work so much more easier; but alas, today this message greets me:

Your internet connection is experiencing problems or your network administrator has
blocked Gmail chat.

Oh well, it was great while it lasted; lol.

on tat note, am off for the day, need to quickly find out if Saif/Kareena and Deepika/Dhoni and Priyanka/Harman are still together. you see, our news channels dont have much else to report!

Ciao, and have a wonderful weekend!
Anya

Artist: Alanis Morissette Lyrics
Song: What If God Was One Of Us

If God had a name what would it be?

And would you call it to his face?I

f you were faced with him in all his glory

what would you ask if you had just one question?

Yeah, Yeah, God is greatYeah, Yeah, God is goodYeah Yeah yeah yeah yeah

What if God was one of us?

Just a slob like one of us

Just a stranger on the bus

Trying to make his way home

Back up to Heaven all alone

Nobody callin' on the phone

except for the Pope maybe in Rome

Have a great weekend!-

Anya

Destiny!

if you're meant to have it, it'll happen,no matter what.

whether it is success/ disaster, if its meant to be , it'll. a great day, a lovely weekend only to end in disaster.
:(
-Anya