Smile, and a day is made for someone :)

Today,
I was feeling very bad. I was told that my classes start only next week. So nothing to do for another week, nobody to talk to, just waste time... and the bills pile up...

I went for a java class in french - it was an optional one for me; the original ones start next week only, but I went anyway. Instead of programming, the instructor mainly talked about software engineering principles, and I was terribly bored. I did not understand his french, but since software engineering is so boring, I didnt listen carefully. I left the class at the midway break. (At the break, the instructor told: "di(x) minutes, un cigrette or cafe!) . Then I went to the literature library, where I found a lot of English books, and I was very happy. There is a very good collection of English and American authors, and some 20-25 books of Indian authors (Indian writers in English - dominated by Salman Rushdie, Rohinton Mistry and Anita Nair!And only one book of Amitav Ghosh). Anyway I felt like having found a treasure trove - and I read "A street car named Desire" then and there. An accomplishment :-)

But then I was hungry and diffident and lonely and started feeling very bad. I had my lunch, came back to the library, tried to find a murakami or marquez or neruda, but sadly all of them are in their original languages or in french (no english translation :(), so finally I took Life and times of Michael K by Coetzee and got out. I wasnt even sure if I was allowed in the literature library, or if my student card is enough to take books from there (it didnt work at the science library). I was worried, sad...

But at the reception, the only two people I have talked to in the day -two elderly ladies- made my day. One of them at the lending counter nicely told me to go and get registered at another counter. At the other counter, I dont know why, but the lady was simply so helpful, that I couldnt help smiling all the time she was entering my details in the computer. She asked in French, I replied in English, when she asked address I took out the chit from my wallet (I cannot pronounce my address in French!) and showed, and she -so smilingly - noted down the address from it. When she asked phone number I showed her my phone (again I cant say numbers in French with a lot of confidence, but I could have tried this!) and she noted down the number from my contacts list. And finally, she told me the rules, how many books I can take, how to return it back, and handed me some pamphlets. All with a smiling, helpful, adorable face. I felt very happy :)

Then I went back to the lending counter, where I had left the book, and the lady there searched around, and told me - with a very sorry face (it looked like she had hurt someone!) - that the book was sent back to be kept in its place. So I told her politely and smilingly that I will go and pick it up again - and I went upstairs to get it. When I was searching for it, she came panting, and shouting "monsieur!", and she had the book in her hand (turned out that it was at her desk itself). So this elderly lady came running, all the way up stairs, panting and all, and with no claims to having helped (no high moral air), she told pardon and merci, and handed me the book. We went and she put the details in the database, and she told merci au revoir, and I thanked her profusely (my way of saying it is "Thanks a LLLLLot, really appreciate it", which I have tried to change into "Merci, merci beaucoup" , but not satisfied with the french one, I repeated the english one too :)).

I was smiling all the way back to home. I felt so happy and peaceful. I felt that there is no need to feel bad here, and people are always very very helpful.

It is told that the French are very rude. Some say only Parisians are rude. In my opinion, I havent found a single rude guy/lady in Grenoble till now(the closest was a Canadian:)). Everyone has been so forthcoming to help. Even though I dont speak French (but be sure to start English with a "vous parlez anglais"). I am touched :)