フランス帰国の喜び
Welcome to Kevin's English Room Podcast.
Hello.
Welcome back, man. Welcome back.
Oh, yes. I'm back.
Back from?
From France.
France.
Yes.
I mean, safely.
Yeah, glad you made it.
Yeah.
Glad you made it back. Tell me about it.
Yeah, I mean, honestly, we're all fine.
We're all safe.
Thank God.
Without any injuries or any sickness.
That's good.
Nothing has been stolen by anybody.
Oh, that's good.
No pocket picking?
No, no.
Pickpockets.
Pickpockets. No pickpockets.
No theft.
No...
No racism?
No.
No racism?
No.
Because you were worried about racism.
Yeah, yeah.
You said you were going to go to some ghetto place.
Yeah, get punched in the face.
Yeah.
I mean, none of that worries.
That's good.
It was really friendly, really gentle, super peaceful, good country.
Okay, okay.
That's good.
That's really good.
I'm glad to hear that.
Yeah, yeah.
Glad to hear that.
We're all fine.
So me, younger brother, my mom, my dad.
Yes.
Everybody healthy.
Good.
長期滞在の体験
You're back to Japan.
Good, good, good.
Oh, that's good.
That's good.
You stayed there for like, what, three weeks or something?
Yeah, three weeks.
Wow.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Longest vacation?
Yeah.
In your life, maybe?
Yeah.
As a vacation, yes.
Yeah.
I think so.
Like, go on a...
Like, not like, you know, studying abroad or like homestaying, things like that.
Yeah.
It's the longest vacation.
How was it?
Trip.
What was it like being out for three weeks?
Yeah.
It feels so strange that I'm here now.
Yeah?
Yeah, yeah.
Does your body still feel like you, like, don't belong here in Japan or maybe...
Yeah.
Okay.
It's still like, I'm kind of, my mind is in there, but my physical body is here, so it's
like, still like, strange feeling here.
I see.
Yeah.
That's strange then.
But yeah, it's been 15 years since I last went to France.
Ooh.
Okay.
That was when I was high schooler.
15.
Okay.
Yeah.
Oh, so you haven't been back there ever since you left.
Yeah.
Your homestay in France.
Right.
I see.
I see.
So it was my first time since then.
Like, finally get back to the place and that was pretty...
And I met friends there.
Okay.
So we did a kind of whole France tour, kind of.
思い出の再訪
Okay.
And we went to...
I don't know how to pronounce this in English, but...
Yeah.
Bretagne.
Brut...
Brut...
Brutania?
Brutania?
Brutania?
Yeah, like the west side of France.
Uh-huh.
And then went to the Clermont-Ferrand.
Oh, I see.
That's where I was studying when I was high schooler.
Clermontville, maybe?
Yeah, things like that.
Yeah.
And then after went to Marseille.
Mercy?
Yeah.
Cannes.
Cannes?
Yeah.
Okay.
And then Nice.
Nice.
Okay, I see.
Oh, those are some famous places.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
And I went to the place where I was staying, the exact house that I was in.
Ah, where you homestayed.
Okay.
Yeah.
The family wasn't there.
They all...
So my host father, he passed away a few years ago and then kind of they moved to the different
cities.
So they were not there.
But I saw the house.
I saw the city.
Yes.
And I met friends.
Yes.
That we played football together.
Ah, yes.
And we went to the football field together.
Oh, okay.
And we talked about things and we had dinner together.
旧友との再会
Uh-huh.
And that was pretty good day, huh?
Yeah, meeting up with old friends.
Yeah, yeah.
How were they?
They haven't changed that much.
Okay.
They've got like big beard like that.
Okay.
But besides that, they're still them.
Personalities didn't change that much?
Okay.
A little bit like became matured.
Uh-huh.
Kind of a little bit, kind of, you know, I'd say chilled.
Yeah.
More adult kind of.
Yeah.
Because we were high schooler.
Of course.
Yeah.
Kids.
Yeah, you guys were energetic.
Yeah.
But still, like, so it's been 15 years since we met last.
So I was kind of, wow, it's 15 years.
And I was a bit like afraid of, you know, them changed or maybe me changed.
And kind of, are you good?
What the hell is up with this coffee, man?
You've been struggling with that since.
I have been struggling with this.
Yes.
Thank God I'm wearing a black T-shirt.
Like it's not, good thing it wasn't white.
True.
Careful.
This fucker is going to spill.
Wow.
Yeah.
You good?
Yeah.
You good?
Okay.
So far.
All right.
Yeah?
Yeah.
The moment we met and we were kind of, we're back to that days, you know.
It's the old days.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's a nice moment.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Some of them had kid now.
Yes.
Some of them got married.
Yes.
But some of them working, some of them quit.
Okay.
Working.
Okay.
Do some like free time.
Oh, okay.
Okay.
Just enjoy life in general.
Yeah.
Okay.
But yeah, he was pretty much.
How many people did you meet?
In that town?
Yeah.
There were six, I guess.
Six friends, me, younger brother and my mom.
Wow.
I see.
Oh, so you're a family man.
Yeah.
I see.
I see.
So, it's a good day.
日本文化への適応
And kind of that reminds me of, you know, after coming back to Japan, when I came back to
Japan, I was kind of, I'm not saying half, but like a half kind of French, half Japanese
vibe.
Okay.
But after, you know, entering to the university and then things going on, I'd rather like,
you know, try to adjust myself to become like more Japanese.
Why?
I don't know.
That was natural to me.
Like, I didn't.
So, for example, like when I get, I guess just like you, but when I get back to Japanese
high school and then I do like little business things to the girls.
Yeah.
And then I do things and then, oh, that's not something I do in Japan.
Yeah.
And then I talk much.
Yeah.
Like talk, talk.
Oh, that's not something we do in Japanese high school.
Yeah.
And it kind of, you know, yeah, this is.
I see.
You know, that going on.
And then when I entered the university, at first I was like, I remember I was wearing
some kind of scarf.
Okay.
And then kawagutsu and things like that.
But I found that's not cool.
I see.
In Japanese daigakusei society.
Uh-huh.
And then, oh, that's not.
Yeah.
You know.
And then after then years and years.
Oh, you're talking about back then.
Back then when you just came from France.
In France.
And then after entering the university.
Oh, I see.
I see.
Okay.
Yeah.
And then in the first month of the beginning of the university.
I was like that.
But, you know.
And then, but years and years.
You become more Japanese.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But that reminds me like my.
フランスでの経験
Your European side?
Yeah.
That's how I was.
Yeah.
And then that's kind of comfortable to me.
Okay.
So, yeah.
Yeah.
That's what I like found.
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's kind of get back from.
You still had it in you.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
French side.
Yeah.
Parasite.
Yeah.
I realized that I am.
Yeah.
That's.
That's.
That's.
Like the way you talk.
Yeah.
The way you react to things.
How you dress.
Yeah.
How you dress.
Yeah.
How you.
Everything.
Interact.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I see.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That was nice trip.
Not only just sightseeing things, but also like, you know, kind of life thing.
As a life thing.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I see.
I guess it's like you going back to Georgia.
Yeah.
To your hometown and your home.
Right.
Yeah.
Like elementary or things.
True.
Yeah.
I mean, it brings you back, doesn't it?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It does.
Yeah.
I remember these friends, they were in jail.
Sure.
Yeah.
Yeah.
They did cocaine and got fucked up and went to jail.
Yeah.
Don't meet them then.
Yeah.
I know.
You may.
You may find yourself, oh, I was in that society then.
But I wasn't, though.
I was not in the society of doing cocaine, just letting you know, I didn't do it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember. Yeah, yeah. So it was, yeah, three weeks isn't just a trip,
you know, it's more like a short stay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I, yeah, that's good.
You sort of had a life there, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. How was your language? French got
rusty or did you get... At first, yeah, I felt like, oh, it's... Like it doesn't come out. Yeah,
smoothly, naturally. But after all, I'd say, I mean, better than when I was in high school.
Yeah, I feel so. Yeah, that happens, that happens. Yeah, I don't know why, but... That happens.
Like, I mean, as an adult, like, now, like, I speak English, I think, better than when I was
back then. Yeah, just probably because I have more knowledge, like, as a human being, I guess.
Yeah, but I understand that happens. Yeah, yeah. So I met with the high school friends or friends,
and we talked in French, of course, and they told me, like, your French is better than
back days. And I was like, wow, really? So you're at your highest in French right now, maybe. Yeah,
I don't know. Yeah. Yeah, but at the same time, I felt I... And I'm feeling that I want to learn
more French. Yeah. Because my French isn't... Still, it's not really fluent and not, like,
the same level as the native speakers. So at the same time, I want to learn French is my
feeling. Nice. Yeah. Nice. And I want to spend more time in France and, like,
be connected with France culture and do something, like, kind of job. Oh, yeah, that's what I felt.
That's nice. Yeah. I honestly... So when I was in high school in France, the main focus of
mine was to survive the days, you know? Yes. I didn't have time to see carefully things
or cultivate many cultures and everything, but just fight every day and survive was the thing.
So to me, everybody was, like, my team or enemy or, like, the battle. Every day was battle.
OK. But this time, it wasn't like that. It's just a casual, friendly trip, you know? And I
have free time with my family, you know, looking, you know, the city, you know, see, going to museum
フランスの思い出
and eat things, like, slowly, carefully. Yeah. And I found France is a good country. Oh,
it's a good country. After all. OK. Yeah. Because when I was in high school, I was, like,
such a, you know, such a half-mean, mean country. Racist country, you know? I was like that.
Very combative. Had to beat them, kind of. Yeah. Yeah. OK. But now I... Yeah. France was, like,
way better than I thought. Are you out of your mind? It happens. It happens. Yeah. Yeah. It
happens. Right. The place I was in, like, a little small town, small village, at the moment, 15 years
ago, I thought, like, what a small and nothing here. Boring town. Yeah. It's countryside and
nothing here. Yeah. And I don't want to get away from this place. Yeah. That's what I was thinking.
But now, like... Beautiful. Beautiful place. Landscape. Oh, look at that building there.
Nature. Yeah. Yeah. Lovely people here. Yeah. Yeah. I see. I see.
Talk to me about your family in the next episode. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Great. Great. Great. Thank you.
Thanks for listening, guys. Thank you. Bye-bye.
