Week 21 highlights : I have started going to the French Institute : Alliance Francaise. I have visited the Alliance Francaise, in each city I have called home , or stayed for sometime. I just don’t know why it took my almost 4.5 months to visit this one. It just did not occur to me. On my way home from Jackson heights last week , when I took a bus instead of a subway, I glanced at the board #alliancefrancaise and I knew I have to visit.

The first day I visited this place (Wednesday) , I looked around the building, spent a few hours in the #bibliotheque or #library and spoke for quite sometime to Ronda , the librarian. The connection was instant and she invited me to a word game session called #Taboo the following evening.

I spent so much time time flipping through the magazines which I had not done in quite sometime. I was reading #French after quite sometime yet I don’t know how it all makes sense to me.

I even picked up 2 books for just $1 each. Apparently they get lot of books , as donation and that’s how the shelves are constantly rotating and one can find something interesting every now and then .

I looked around the classes and found so many kids learning French there. It just reminded me of 1998 when I first went to Alliance Francaise De Calcutta ( then #afc) . There were so many pictures flashing in my head.

I came back home grabbing a few brochures and a form .The question was whether to take a membership or not .

If I am here for a few months , does it make sense. Then I also remembered all those years when I used to watch almost 70-80 % of the movies screened in the annual film festival , usually around 14 July in Nandan. I remembered all the Friday movies in Nandan III . The entire evening I was in dilemma. In fact , when I certainly here, I missed not continuing my Spanish Classes. Now the dilemma doubled whether to become a member of #fiaf or pursue #spanish classes. I tossed the question at R and the usual supportive and never calculative him , asked me to take a call.

The following day I spent in R&D because I wanted to do both. But first things first let’s attend the #taboo session.

I reached the venue on time . Took the membership and thoroughly enjoyed the session.

In fact having learnt French from native speakers or 2 notable professors in afc who are no less , this was a new experience , especially the #pronunciation. I was also observing the thought process , the similes used etc. But overall it was a great experience. Our team won the get and I was also the lucky one to be selected in a lucky draw to carry back home a bottle of #creamsherry!!

So now I know , there will be more of #taboo nights !