have fun with a postcard from France

[Carsten Schermuly]

Our eldest son Christian and his wife Elisabeth are students - no question, they are under financial stress like the most students around us. We parents can not cover all the needings, just the bases.

They visit the FEG Witten / Ruhr, a free (independent) evangelic community. Last year someone of that community must give up in the last moment the plan to spend vacancies in Italy. But all things have been booked and it was too late to give it back - flight tickets, Bed & Breakfast etc. Our children got it as gift to their marriage anniversairy - and the community collected money for museum visits, an ice cone or whatever a heart could wish.

They wrote some happy sounding letters and sent some postcards home - like this. Since our son likes to joke, he wrote the postcards in Italian. This year has happened nearby the very same - to another time (last year it happened in July) - someone gave them for free a complete (including Hotels, Restaurants etc) journey across France. Elisabeth's parents gave some extra Talers to.



http://haufenzeug.de/cs/pics_for_NazNet/postk_00.jpg






http://haufenzeug.de/cs/pics_for_NazNet/postk_01.jpg

[Marg Webb]

Carsten: You have awakened some of my interst in the German language. I think I will get my books out and try again. I was able to recognize a few words on the card.
Also it has been suggested to those in the States to study Spanish.
My husband speaks some Spanish, I only know Manana. :)
Your children were very fortunate to have these trips.
I see Dave is in Kenya, or was .

[Carsten Schermuly]

Carsten: You have awakened some of my interst in the German language.That is nice, then we can sing "A mighty Fortress" in the language of Martin Luther and read Speners Pia Desideria in his mothertongue.

I think I will get my books out and try again. I was able to recognize a few words on the card.That is french (or should be french) - and this is fun we have with. Normally we talk german to another in my family.

Also it has been suggested to those in the States to study Spanish.As I know, because the many people from middle and south american countries, often public forms are printed in two languages. Such situation I have seen in the Republic of South Africa (Afrikaans / English) and in Swaziland (Siswati / English) and in South Tirol (Italian / German). We need to talk in several languages - seen on internationalism.

My husband speaks some Spanish, I only know Manana. :)el pachao = the bird, el caballo = the horse, el nino = the child - this is my Spanish, ha, ha!

Your children were very fortunate to have these trips.Yes, they are. Luxury things we see critical - but why should make the Lord not a journey "just for fun" as a gift? It is not forbidden. And - we do not know what deeper sense this will have.

I see Dave is in Kenya, or was .Yes, he is a miles millionairy. I have never met someone, has so many miles travelled around the globe. Corry ten Boom told, she liked to see the world in younger years - later she preached in many countries and at least she has to travel too much - she was tired to travel and dreamed about, to sleep in her own bed.

[Carsten Schermuly]

As said, he is joking - he wrote german "Hallo", spoken french with a voiceless H = Allo

Allo famille,
c'est très formidable, nous ne voulons pas retourner.

French people normally will say "Good Day - Bon Jour"
bonjour famille,
ici il fait très beau, nous n'aiment pas retourner.

hello family,
here it is (very) nice, we do not like to return.

Hallo Familie,
hier ist es (sehr) wunderbar, wir wollen nicht zurükkehren.


Voici, c'est comme l'ete. (Truely a bit too short.)

It is like summer.

Es ist wie Sommer.


Nous regrettons de n'habiter pas ici.

We regret not living here.

Wir bedauern, nicht hier zu wohnen.


A bien tout, Christian

All good (things for you), Christian

Alles Gute, Christian

[Hans Deventer]

A bientot, Christian

That would be, "see you soon"

[Marg Webb]

See Carsten, I do not know German. That was French eh. Well I did know some words. ??
Had no idea it was French. Wonder how I knew that. Wonders never cease.

[Carsten Schermuly]

That would be, "see you soon"It will cointradict to "we do not like to return" and because he draws not fine clear letters, I thought, he meant my version.

Am I right,
do you have been there three (or two) years ago with Hanni?
Languedoc, Black Montagne
I remember to your photos from the steep rocks.

[Carsten Schermuly]

See Carsten, I do not know German. That was French eh. Well I did know some words. ??
Had no idea it was French. Wonder how I knew that. Wonders never cease.The most of the middle and west european languages got strong influence by latin during the time of the roman imperium, so we will find all the ways similar looking and sounding words - and with the same sense.

[Hans Deventer]

It will cointradict to "we do not like to return" and because he draws not fine clear letters, I thought, he meant my version.

Well, it is just a common greeting in French. I don't doubt he would like to stay longer :-) You are right, it sounds a bit weird, but just like "How are you?" isn't always meant to inquire after someone's specific situation, likewise "a bientot" is not too specific.


Am I right,
do you have been there three (or two) years ago with Hanni?
Languedoc, Black Montagne
I remember to your photos from the steep rocks.

I have been in Languedoc, but it has been a while. Most recently, in 2003, we were in the Southern French Alps.

[Hans Deventer]

It will cointradict to "we do not like to return" and because he draws not fine clear letters, I thought, he meant my version.

Well, it is just a common greeting in French. I don't doubt he would like to stay longer :-) You are right, it sounds a bit weird, but just like "How are you?" isn't always meant to inquire after someone's specific situation, likewise "a bientot" is not too specific.


Am I right,
do you have been there three (or two) years ago with Hanni?
Languedoc, Black Montagne
I remember to your photos from the steep rocks.

I have been in Languedoc, but it has been a while. Most recently, in 2003, we were in the Southern French Alps, south of Grenoble.

[Carsten Schermuly]

Well, it is just a common greeting in French. I don't doubt he would like to stay longer :-) You are right, it sounds a bit weird, but just like "How are you?" isn't always meant to inquire after someone's specific situation, likewise "a bientot" is not too specific. You have seen, I added the U in tout - it is a violent act to read what I liked to read - ha, ha!


I have been in Languedoc, but it has been a while. Most recently, in 2003, we were in the Southern French Alps, south of Grenoble.Oh, so I forgot it, sorry. That area around Grenoble should be the place from where my ancestors Schermuly came in 1685 as Hugenottes. It is not sure, it is also thinkable, they came from Lyon. Unto today are found Schermulys in Lyon with a very old family history.