The art of communication.

I was on holiday this year near a place called Arles in France. I stayed with my 2 kids in a tiny little campsite outside a tiny little village in the middle of nowhere really, where nobody spoke English. Or if they did speak a little English, it was only to ask if I could speak any French, which I can't. I was most ashamed of myself.

However, amazingly as it might seem we had THE most wonderful holiday because no matter what, people find a way to communicate. My kids made firm friends with lots of French children and even managed to play games with them in the pool where they all understood what the other was to do......how so?? Hand gestures and pointing and guesswork and facial expression, body language and physically showing each other what we meant. It worked.

By the time we left France-2 weeks later-I could get the gist of a conversation and speak limitedly to people, how are you, what are you doing this evening, weather's been hot today etc etc and the kids were counting and had invented lots of fun games. My son had a French girlfriend and my daughter was a sulky teen French style.

So we exchanged emails and msn with everyone and we still keep in touch with a cpl of families and plan to go back to the same place next year and meet up with them. A cpl of people are coming to visit Bonny Scotland as a result too. However, next time I plan to have some French and am teaching the kids a little also. It was really quite educational to go somewhere where there are no English/Scottish people/bars/food/nightclubs/culture and to be in the heart of a place and really get a feel for it. I had to fend for myself to get by for me and the kids and I really was so embarassed to have gone to a country and not even know how to count to ten. Next year shall be different!! I simply can't wait to go back!