you know what's funny.

you know how when you first picked up a foreign language, so much time was spent on "now let's pretend that you are in that country and you want to get a train ticket"?

and then you rolled eyes and thought to yourself, "like, i'm ever gonna use them... "

well, that day DID come.

it felt really funny and almost surreal (due to sleep deprivation) when i was queuing to get my tgv ticket down south.

i automatically switched to "dialogue/role-playing" mode, and searched for all the keywords.

okay, first, be polite, use "vous".

then, okay, one way ticket, which class, window or aisle seat, non-smoking...

well, at least i didn't have to use the "non-fumeur" cos it seems like all of them are non-smoking these days.

it's also funny how in real life, there are almost always extra questions that will come up.

"en bas ou en haut?" she stared me poker-faced.

what the heck does that mean?

since i've had some great experience with doing DELF oral exams, i answered the question with another question.

"ben, quelle est la difference?"

then i kind of picked up that it was some kind of double-deck thingy.

and she obviously gave more information by telling me that it's much calmer on the lower deck.

she then went on telling me the departure time of my train.

and told me 3 times that it would depart from platform 4.

"quatre" she raised her hand, making a "4".

yeah, madame, get it, quatre.

i guess in real life, there's no platform 9 & 3/4.