Difficile. Now, there’s a French word you can figure out on sight, right?

We worked en ligne today, and it was difficile. Le prof was as dynamic as always, despite all the different problems, tech and otherwise that we presented.

Truly she has the patience of a Sainte!

For me, my Zoom connection went through, I typed in the passcode, and was pleasantly surprised by how effortless it all was. But then everyone started talking and I realized my audio was horrible. My apple ear pods didn’t work because they seemed to distort everyone’s voice. But when I removed them, the audio was still awful. Meanwhile, class had begun. I was falling behind. Hmmm… if I really focused, and strained to hear, I could understand most of what was being said, so I decided to see how long I could sustain this situation.

That’s when the maintenance crew decided it was time to hose down the trash receptacles and recycling bins, and literally VACUUM the courtyard. Mon dieu. I typed a note in the chat box:

Je suis désolée, mais je ne peux pas entendre. Mon son ne marche pas.

When I repositioned my IPad, everything miraculously started working beautifully. I could participate! Alas, my desk is tres petit, so I was kind of physically juggling everything between my lap, floor, and desk. And then we broke into small groups in different digital “rooms” and my sound shut off again.

There were only 3 of us in the group, and not one of us knew what the assignment was. We were a mess! This class moves at speed. No time to ponder or chitchat. Then, back to the main class, where my audio worked again, but now, even with volume turned way the heck UP, I couldn’t hear. I think the class probably saw mon oreille for a full half hour as I leaned in, trying to decipher what was being said or asked of me. A few more exercises, and the next thing I know the screen went black. Oh no. Wait. I think I heard her say « la pause » before everything went dark. I checked the time, and yes, somehow 2 hours had gone by. It was indeed break time.

Somehow, I remembered to turn off my video/mic and went off mumbling in franglais to make my first coffee of the day, but not before I accidentally closed the tab and disconnected entirely from the class.

Le sigh.

After I inhaled the coffee, I got ready for Act II. That’s what it felt like. A comedy. It’s one thing to listen to a lecture, TedTalk, chat with friends and family on Zoom, but it’s quite another to do it all in a different language whilst struggling with all the scholastic apparatus: highlighters, pencils, eraser, notebook, textbook, activity book, typing in the chat box, and trying to answer coherently when called upon (which was a lot because more than half the class didn’t show). My God, how do people juggle with fire?

After break, they let me back into class. My sound was once more perfect, and we were back to work. One or two classmates did not return after the break. It was a complicated lesson or two before 1:00 hit, and huzzah! I’d made it through another week managing to keep up. Le prof was saying « Pas de devoirs » and wishing us all a « bon week-end! » and « tout le monde souriait. »

I sent my notes and photos of my lesson pages to my absent friends. I’ll be meeting Irene for a glass of wine later. My brilliant friend, the retired telecommunications engineer couldn’t get her computer system to connect. I have to tease her over a glass of red.

C’était 11h, et tout ce que je voulais, c’était retourner me coucher.