Some years ago, I started embracing new experiences with a more open mindset. I found that doing so made the experiences more enjoyable.
Today, I am going to use my study of the French language as an example. When I was in high school, I studied French for a couple of years. It was not love at first sight. I am not sure if that was due to my adolescent mindset or to the environment in which I was learning it. I do remember a particularly strict teacher who barely smiled when talking to us, and an “r”-dominant sound that was almost impossible to pronounce. I felt as if I could not open my mouth, keeping my lips constantly puckered, and my expression consistently looking surprised, as if witnessing the seventh wonder of the world.
Back then, I learnt a few rules, and I clearly remember the story of a child named Sabine Dupuis. Apparently, Sabine had lost her mother amidst the confusion of a busy airport – which I assumed was the Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport. « Salut, pourquoi tu pleures ? – J’ai perdu ma maman ! – Ta maman ? Comment tu t’appelles ? – Sabine. Sabine Dupuis. »
According to an announcement over the intercom, for which I would also change my voice, she was now waiting for her mother at the Police station next to gate four. I could picture little Sabine bawling her eyes out, believing that her mother would never find her again. I am not sure whether I was too scared to read the ending, or if I was just too lazy to finish my homework, but I still don’t know if they managed to be reunited. I turned my back on French.
Je ne sais quoi…
A few years later, little Sabine popped back into my head. It surprised me that I could still remember that reading, word by word. I reviewed a few verb moods and tenses. Eventually, the image of Sabine started fading away, so I turned my back on French for the second time.
Finally, I moved to Canada. It just so happened that I started meeting people who were Francophones, people who would look for similarities between some Italian and French grammar rules. I soon realized that I knew most of the answers to their questions because, apparently, besides little Sabine, my brain had stored some of those rules and differences.
I still remember the day I had this epiphany, and I realized that I needed to go down that path once again. With a totally renewed mindset, the experience turned into something that was both challenging and fun. My favorite French songs started making sense, showing a much deeper meaning. Edith Piaf’s “Non, je ne regrette rien” became even more beautiful; Le Petit Prince officially became one of my favorite books ever; and Paris stopped being simply the city where I spent my honeymoon, and turned into a place to listen to, to interact with, and not just to watch.
Then the magic happens
People started asking why I was so into it. Some of them thought I was secretly considering moving to France or something of the sort- it was anyone’s guess. I kept repeating that I didn’t have a specific goal, and that I was just enjoying the experience. Deep inside, I started realizing that something good was on its way, because this is what happens sometimes when you learn new things. It’s like standing in front of a river. You can only guess what is on the other side, and the current can be intimidating. Then, you start building a bridge that will take you to the other riverbank. You don’t know what to expect until the magic suddenly happens…
