Tail between my legs, heart pounding, I slumped into the living room today to make up with a rather irritated host mother. "Umm, Michèle, can I talk to you for a minute? I know you're not very happy with me and I just wanted to apologize for whatever I did..."
After an entire week of avoiding a frightening 5' woman, everything is finally resolved. Turns out, it was a problem of laziness and a culmination of letting too many little things slide. Go figure.
1-I put my laundry in the hallway on Sunday morning (because I was going to be gone until very, very late) instead of in the bathroom on Sunday night.
2-I left my shutters open for several nights in a row, despite the absence of violent, winter winds.
3-My desk was covered in papers when she tried to clean it.
4-I leave the closet doors open when I go to school.
5-My clothes in the closet are thrown in rather haphazardly.
And so, after 20 minutes of discussion, of hearing how many times I had forgotten these petites choses, I finally told her that while there was no way to undo my past mistakes, I would recommit to doing everything better.
"It's all I can say to you. I'm sorry and I won't let it happen again."
And then, as if an entire week of short comments and critical looks had never existed, "Apology accepted. You know, my brother-in-law has a vascular problem and I'm very worried about him. I was at their house the other day and all of the sudden he stopped hearing, but fortunately I was there so we called the firemen and..."
Looks like things are back to normal.
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One of the things I found on French culture recently was how French people mean what they say. I had never thought of this before, but feel it's connected to Michèle's ability to move on here. And related kind of to how they can have a huge emotive political (or other) discussion and then shift gears right back into easy small talk of what to have for dinner. Now it seems like it's not related after all but I think you'll see what I mean? Anyway I'm glad things are better - these are all excellent examples of little cultural wackinesses we wouldn't think of at all. So crazy - kind of like a fellow student when I was in France the first time who offended her host mother by always leaving room doors open after leaving them.
ReplyDeleteThat is too funny. Such little things to get so worked over. Its not a big deal you know, I had to do your laudry on numerous occasions becasue you where so busy and I just did it to get my stuff done, you know. It really didnt bother me. At least she is not doing that.. and you where a clean person in Pa, if she saw your room in Al she would freak. heheh That would be funny to see what she said about that. Well good luck with everything and dont forget to close the closet doors. LP
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