My family don't understand me

- Hello!
- Ceciiile, so good to hear from you!
- I have great news!
- You're pregnant?
- No.
- You're getting married?
- No. Gosh why is everyone asking me those questions?
- Dunno. So what's the great news?
- I have a job...
- Cool.
- ... IN BELFAST!
- Really? Oh that's great!
- Yeah, I'll be working for three schools; two boys' schools and one girls' school. I start in September.
- Cool! Wait. What? You mean they don't have co-ed schools there?
- Nope.
- They're crazy.
- Yep.
- Refresh my memory, where's Belfast again?
- It's the capital of Northern Ireland.
- Oh yes, right. But... Isn't Dublin the capital?
- No, Dublin is the capital of the Republic of Ireland. I'll be in Northern Ireland, it's a different country.
- Oh yes. I should know this, I've learned it all at school, but you know, that was a long time ago. And you say you'll be in..?
- Northern Ireland.
- And where is it that they fight?
- Northern Ireland.
- ... Ok.
- ...
- ...
- But don't worry, it's much quieter now than it used to be.
- Yeah... yeah. They're still crazy there.
- Probably.
- You're crazy.
- I know.
- And how long will you stay there?
- One year. At least.
- I see... you're still not planning on moving back home.
- Not in the near future, that's for sure.
- Hey if you find a fiancee, try to find one that is French. Stop dating roast beefs. We don't understand English. And the roast beefs, they're annoying. Yes, find a French guy.
- Sure, I'll do that.
- And so you'll be working there, so you'll get paid, right?
- Yes. Well, not a lot. But hopefully enough to live on.
- Well it was about time you started working, how old are you again?
- Twenty-two. Going on twenty-three.
- TWENTY-THREE? AND YOU'RE STILL NOT WORKING? Gosh I started working at seventeen!
- Yes, but, you know, I'll soon graduate from a master's programme, that's pretty good for a twenty-three year old.
- A master's? You're crazy, you know that?
- Yes I know you've just told me.
- And so, a master's... Did you have to write a dissertation or something like that?
- Yes I did. I wrote about German cabaret and punk-rock.
- Wow. And how long is it?
- About one hundred pages.
- One hun...?! You are not alone in your head, you know that? The French Rugby team lives in your head!
- Actually, one hundred pages isn't that long, most students write more than that, but I'm not much of a writer.
- You're crazy.
- So I've heard.
- But then, after this one year job, what will you do?
- I... I, er... I don't exactly know yet...
- YOU WHAT? You're twenty three!
- Yes, of that I'm aware. Though technically, I'm not twenty-three yet.
- But you know you want to work with languages, right?
- Yes, this hasn't changed.
- I know I've told you this a thousand times but... Why don't you try and get a job in the European Parliament?
- As if it were that easy...
- Clever as you are, you'll get in! No problem!
- Yes, problem. I have nearly no chance to get in, and even if I did, then what? I'll be a translator? Great! I hate translating!
- But, I know someone, she's a translator, she works for the EU commission, and she travels a lot, and she earns a lot too, and she really loves it!
- That's not a translator, that's an interpreter.
- Isn't that the same thing?
- No, a translator... no. Just forget it. Anyway, I'll find what I want to do eventually, and in the meantime, I'm doing many things, as always. Don't worry for me. By the way, I've just been hired to translate a few articles for a literature magazine.
- But I thought... You just told me you hate translating...
- Yes, but I also need money. And doing some translation here and there is OK, what I meant is that I'd hate doing this all day long, for the rest of my life.
- Well, you know what's best for you. I have to get back to work now, I'll tell your sister that you've called, and I'll tell her about your job, she'll be happy for you too, I'm sure. Oh and Mathilde is taking care of the seeds you've sent her. The sunflowers are growing, she's very happy. She misses you. Every time she sees a train, she says it's auntie Cecile's train. And you know our house is close to a train line...
- Haha she's cute! I miss her too. Tell her I'll come home soon to see her.
- Ok, I'll tell her. You take care of yourself, ok? And don't forget to have fun sometimes, you work too much! And if you find a boyfriend in Belfast, you'll tell me. I know you won't. You never tell me.
- That's because I don't tell anyone.
- But I'd like you to tell me!
- I'll keep this in mind. Bye!

Comments

[Pistachette]

Merci pour le conseil lecture, je prends note ! Pour les institutions européennes, pas envie d'y entrer, c'est juste LE truc qu'on me sort systématiquement, genre "ah tu veux faire des langues ? Ben, les institutions européennes !", comme une évidence. Mais quel genre de niaise suis-je pour ne pas y avoir pensé plus tôt ? Bref. Soyons patients et tolérants avec les gens qui ne savent pas de quoi ils parlent ... Et pour ceux qui veulent y entrer, j'ai déjà entendu le topo d'un mec qui planifie d'épouser une bulgare pour entrer dans les quotas. Bonne chance à lui.
Et toi alors, que deviens-tu ? Envoie-moi un imaïle !

[Véro]

Trop fort!
J'ai lu récemment "Mon traître" de Sorj Chalandon. Si ce n'est pas déjà fait, je te le conseille! (après l'avoir lu, tu sais qu'il FAUT aller à Belfast)
Bon courage pour la suite! (et plein de soutien pour les institutions européennes: actuellement, à moins de venir d'un nouvel Etat membre, il faut être très balèse et surtout, très bien entouré!)