At the tender age of fifteen I made a decision that at the time I didn’t know would impact my life as greatly as it did. I decided to take French. When I was deciding on my classes for my junior year of high school I finally had the room in my schedule to take a language class and without a doubt in my mind I wanted to take French. My best friend had taken it the past two years and I’m actually French on my grandmothers side, which is something my extremely Irish family tends to forget, so I really badly wanted to learn the language and all about the French culture. Of course there were those who tried to talk me out of it with the argument of “Spanish is going to be much more useful and more widely spoken and blah blah blah.” I didn’t care! My heart was set on the language of my ancestors and I could not be stopped!
So skip to junior year around this time. My French teacher had broken her ankle and was out for a month. My school though had the most brilliant plan to replace her for the month though. They hired a sub for the month who was actually French! Genius right? Well actually no, he happens to be that sub that everyone knew if we had him we wouldn’t actually be doing anything productive in class. Now for a day or two that’s okay, but a month? Let’s just say that when my teacher came back she was quite livid.
There was one thing though that I learned from that substitute teacher though, well besides the pledge of allegiance in French. I learned of Edith Piaf. I remember the moment very clearly. He started to play her version of La Vie En Rose and her voice was this strange and yet melodious voice that I’d never heard anything like before! The rest of the class seemed unenthused but I was intrigued! I wanted to hear more.
So I did what any normal person would do after hearing only one song from an artist. I went to Borders (because I was in high school that long ago) and I walked over to the cd section and plucked out her greatest hits.
Still to this day I’m intrigued by her sound. It’s so unique and different from any singer that I’ve ever heard in my life. I adore her music and the fact that it’s in French makes my heart soar! I’m now a French minor and Edith Piafs music helps me learn. And now for once since starting this blog my ending will actually make sense.
A bientôt
just stories in the end 