Perhaps I don’t have the makings of a good photographer. Photographers are known to bring their cameras with them anywhere they go, so that when a moment that needs to be captured presents itself, they have their gadgets ready.
Last Saturday February 9, my high school chums and I met Jaz’s fiance for the first time and the meeting place was at CPK at Shangri-La. No gathering of old classmates will be complete without taking pictures. And I hate myself for forgetting to bring my DSLR along. So I have to content myself with just using the camera of my “reliable” Dopod, hence the poor picture quality.
Jaz’s fiance, Booker, is a member of the elite French Foreign Legion (Legion Etranger). The legionnaires is currently composed of nine regiments and one sub-unit totaling around 8,000men. Booker is one of only 4 Filipinos who are currently on active duty with the legion. He is currently assigned in Djibouti in Africa.
Had I met Booker 5 years ago, I would have spoken with him in French. Now, all I can say is “Mon Francaise est alle de mauvais a plus mauvais a inexistant” (My French went from bad to worse to non-existent. Any Francopones out there reading my blog, please feel free to lambast me over my broken French). This aside of course from the usual, ”Ca va”, “Au Revoir” and “Bon Chance”.
Booker says that the maximum age of acceptance into the legion is 40 and after 3 years of service, a legionnaire can apply for French citizenship. And a soldier who was injured in a battle for France can also apply for French citizenship under the provision called “Francais par le sangre verse” (French by spilled blood). Hmmm, that made me think. As a kid, I’ve watched movies about the French Foreign Legion and was fascinated by the enigmatic regiment, moreover, I’ve loved France and its culture and history since I was in Grade 2… Naaah, I’m too old for that already, though I’m very physically fit. And I still have that conviction that there’s nothing so bad about being a Filipino that will make me relinquish my citizenship and that nothing is so good about being French (or an American or any nationality for that matter) that will make me renounce my roots.
June 26, 2008 at 12:45 am |
L’audace,. Encore l’audace,. Et tojours l’audace!
How’s your French these days? Better than mine, I hope. I have not progressed from Niveau Une since 1986. I think my 11-year old Atenean kid would fare better. He just started memorizing le chanson “La Mer” after watching Mr. Bean’s holiday on HBO.
As to RP, kanino pa ba magmamana ang bata? Credits to Becky for the hands-on training. The moms are participants; we dads are spectators- well, most of the time!