To love the language(s)...

Everything I read about moving abroad tells me to learn some of the language before I go.  Right now I’m just really wishing there weren’t three of those.  And that the kids and I weren't each probably going to be learning different ones.

I plan to focus on French (since I took some in high school and I've heard it's the language you tend to encounter spoken most frequently in the city and in print), and hopefully catch a little bit of basic German alongside Daphne and her schoolwork.  James…oh, James…might have to be on his own with Luxembourgish.  Google Translate is no help with that one, and I figured out that Paul’s lessons turn quickly to topics not applicable to 4-year-olds (“I like to go to bars.”), and then abruptly end.   

I’m making a cheat-notebook of common phrases in English, Luxembourgish, German, and French side-by-side.  I figure it can't hurt to learn to say "hello," "good-bye," and "sorry for being such an idiot" in all of them.

(For the record, my brain is totally short-circuiting and I actually KNOW nothing at the moment.  The cheat sheet just makes me feel smarter and productive and in control of my life.  I plan to ride that illusion indefinitely).

But so help me, whatever happens, I am resolved to not purchase expensive Rosetta Stone software (or equivalent) if I can.  I’ve got cds from the library, youtube videos, podcasts.  All free, baby.

A big part of me just wants to say screw it, I’ll figure it out when I get there.

Meanwhile, observe how smart and productive and in control I am.