My visit to Montreal

Montreal, the home of the French language, looked more friendly than years ago. Whether one likes it or not, no one can deny how pretty it is.

This time things were different, they greeted me with three languages ‘Bon Jour,’ ‘Hello,’ and ‘Buenos Dias.’ The first one  still scares me as I’m not capable of speaking without rehearsing, ‘what’s the easiest one I can tackle without embarrassing myself.’ is my pal   English, I learned it when I first went to school at age five. It’s no credit to me but my Dad who thought it can help me in the future.

Third, ‘Buenos Dias,’ i.e Spanish, suddenly motivated me to take some courses, which I did.’ But forgot a lot as I did not practice.

I know there are other languages spoken in Montreal, these are the main.

Each morning I visited the malls, supermarket and sometimes a drug store, for food, clothing and cards for people I met.

I spent three weeks with my friend, she cooked and took me to visit her friends. I almost felt I should make Montreal my home. Then the urge to do so died down, as I missed my home, my daughter and the three felines:   Gabriel, Raphael, and Sophie.

I am back in Newfoundland, catching up with time difference.

…………………………………….. 🙂

 

Daily Prompt: A Brand New You, Effective Tomorrow

Tomorrow you get to become anyone in the world that you wish. Who are you? You can choose to be anyone alive today, or someone gone long ago. If you decide to stay “You” share your rationale.

It sounds interesting to be anyone I wish, here is the problem. I know a lot of famous women by name and a very scanty info about them,if I want to do a good job, I’d have to do some research. The only woman I know well is me. I can write much more about me than anyone else.

I’d like to change certain things about me, in the New Year 2016. I’d seriously consider writing more poems and stories. Participate in challenges to improve my writing.

I haven’t actively tried to clear my basement, this is the year I’m going to fix it. Throw away everything I have no use for or give it away.

Read all the books I have in stock, before I buy  anymore. I also would like to spend time learning French and Spanish. I have some basic knowledge of these languages, I want to build on it.

The other languages I would like to learn are Persian and Arabic, I know the alphabets, it may help.

This is all I can think of right now.

365 Writing Prompt: We can be taught

Tell us a moment or an incident that you treasure– not necessarily because it brought you happiness, but it taught you something about yourself.

Back when we lived in Rawalpindi, there was a woman who used to deliver milk for us, I loved seeing her and in my unusual Punjabi, I’d speak to her.

She never forgot to say, “Hi, bibi , how are you?

This would get me going and I’d start my conversation with her in Punjabi, I wasn’t as good as her, when we are little we do not think whether the words we choose are right or wrong we just speak, the fact that we have no inhibition, we easily learn new languages.

The milk woman would relate the story of her buffaloes, that she didn’t get as much milk as the day before. She wouldn’t make as much money.

I’d sit in the veranda and listen very intently. She liked this part of me, even though I was little I listened to her stories with interest.

One day she came as usual to deliver milk, I wasn’t very talkative, she was disappointed. She asked me questions why am I not my usual self, was I upset with her. I told her I wasn’t, after all these years I cannot recall why I was quiet.

She sat beside me and told me she would bring me some milk the following day and will not charge any money for it, then she said, “Now smile bibi!”

It taught me that day a very important lesson, all those people who knew me loved my interaction with them  and my smile, that I should never disappoint them.

………………………………..:)

365 Writing Prompts: I have confidence in me

Are you good at what you do? What would you like to be better at?

I think I am good at teaching, I know that because I was able to keep my jobs. I was liked by the students I taught. My superiors did not doubt my ability.

I really would like to be good at languages, maybe I’m not serious enough, could be the reason why I did not get better at French. I did a few courses in Spanish, my teacher liked my progress and encouraged me to continue but I did not, although I liked Spanish better than French, I think Spanish is easier it doesn’t have silent letters like  in French.

Right now I am doing online courses, to learn about Iqbal the poet and philosopher, I’m enjoying it a lot and I  want to do well in it.

I am told I am doing quite well in the course, my goal is to do better than, “quite well.”

/sabethville.wordpress.com/2014/11/22/365-writing-pr…nfidence-in-me/

About SHEMAPI Post by Ranu

About SHEMAPI Post by Ranu.

The first letter is taken from languages spoken in the world,only the ones that have higher number of people who speak the language.I might add more languages,for now they are:Spanish,Hindi,English,Mandarin,Arabic and Portuguese.

DP Daily Prompt: Weaving threads post by Ranu

Foliage in the Parc du bassin Bonsecours and dome of the Marché Bonsecours (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: View of downtown Montreal. Français : Vue du centre de Montréal. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I like  Montreal .

It is a beautiful city.

The best part is,when I go there, I hear diverse languages,including my own. Parlez,vous francais?  Non, je parle Anglais, Monsieur!