Minor Victory

So yesterday I went to the grocery store and bought quite a bit of stuff. Ended up spending around 70 euro. Came home and put everything away and then a little later in the day was perusing the receipt when I figured out that I had been charged for 7 bags of lettuce and not 1. Great. So, I had two options, I could either deal with the fact that I overpaid by 9.30 euro or go back to the store and try to communicate the problem in French. I chose go back to the store. The whole time there I was formulating in my head what I was going to say, worried if the person would understand, whether it would be a big deal, or how I was going to argue for money if I needed to. That’s the thing about not really fully being able to speak another language. Planning is absolutely necessary, but the problem is that I plan the initial opening, but once there is a response, the quick-thinking takes a bit to kick in because I am still in translate first mode. People keep saying I’ll get out of it, but for now, it is how it works.
So I get to the store and get to the customer service counter. I start my schpeal (completely in French, no English was used the entire time) and viola! She understands!! I somewhat wish there would have been a camera on me cause I’m sure I had a huge smile on my face. Now, I will say that I did have the receipt, and used it to illustrate, but there was no second guessing, or asking what happened because she understood the first time. I know this seems like a minor thing and nothing to get all excited about, but it is these little things, in a country where nothing makes sense sometimes, that encourage me, and make me realize that I can communicate, if somewhat rudimentarily, with people in another language.