71. Here I come

Chers amis, bonjour, and welcome to French Through Stories, where you learn French through

Dear friends, hello, and welcome to French Through Stories, where you learn French through

stories in French with a Frenchman.

stories in French with a Frenchman.

J'ai besoin de vacances.

I need a vacation.

En mai cette année, j'avais prévu de faire un voyage en Asie.

In May this year, I had planned to take a trip to Asia.

« Prévu » est un bien grand mot, car je n'avais absolument rien programmé, pas même

"'Planned' is a big word, because I had absolutely nothing scheduled, not even..."

les billets d'avion.

the plane tickets.

Tant mieux, car les choses ne se sont pas passées comme prévues au bureau.

So much the better, because things did not go as planned at the office.

Ma responsable a prolongé ses congés maternités, j'ai donc annulé mes vacances pour tenir

My manager extended her maternity leave, so I canceled my vacation to manage.

la boutique.

the store.

Je m'étais dit alors qu'à cela ne tienne.

I told myself then that that was that.

Enfin, je prendrai des vacances en octobre.

Finally, I will take a vacation in October.

Eh bien, octobre arrive à grands pas, et je n'ai encore rien préparé.

Well, October is fast approaching, and I haven't prepared anything yet.

Ah si, j'ai réservé mes billets d'avion pour l'Australie.

Ah yes, I booked my plane tickets to Australia.

J'irai rendre visite à quelques amis et faire du camping.

I will go visit some friends and go camping.

Ensuite, j'aimerais beaucoup découvrir l'Asie du Sud-Est.

Next, I would really like to discover Southeast Asia.

Je n'y suis jamais allé, mais j'y pense depuis plusieurs années.

I have never been there, but I have been thinking about it for several years.

C'est assez proche de l'Australie, c'est donc l'occasion d'y faire un tour.

It's close enough to Australia, so it's an opportunity to take a trip there.

Je pense au Cambodge, à la Chine, au Vietnam, peut-être même aux Philippines.

I think of Cambodia, China, Vietnam, maybe even the Philippines.

Mon problème, c'est que je suis très mauvais pour planifier des vacances.

My problem is that I am very bad at planning vacations.

Je ne sais jamais où aller.

I never know where to go.

Et je décide toujours tout au dernier moment.

And I always decide everything at the last moment.

Je ne suis pas comme ces personnes qui connaissent avec précision leur itinéraire six mois

I am not like those people who know their itinerary six months in advance.

à l'avance, et qui savent où elles prendront chacun de leurs repas et passeront chacune

in advance, and who know where they will have each of their meals and spend each

de leurs nuits.

of their nights.

Je suis du genre à improviser.

I tend to improvise.

Mais un minimum de préparation peut faire une grande différence.

But a minimum of preparation can make a big difference.

Et je n'ai pas le temps.

And I don't have the time.

Je ne sais jamais où aller.

I never know where to go.

Et je décide toujours tout au dernier moment.

And I always make decisions at the last moment.

différences. Je voudrais donc vous demander votre avis, vos suggestions, vos recommandations. Il y

differences. I would therefore like to ask for your opinion, your suggestions, your recommendations. There are

a de fortes chances pour que je ne vous écoute pas et que je n'en fasse qu'à ma tête. Mais qui sait,

there's a good chance that I won't listen to you and will do just what I want. But who knows,

peut-être que je pourrais vous rendre visite. Faites-moi visiter votre quartier, conseillez-moi

Maybe I could visit you. Show me around your neighborhood, give me advice.

une bonne auberge et je vous invite à dîner. À bientôt peut-être.

A good inn and I invite you to dinner. Maybe see you soon.

Planned is a big word. Prévu est un bien grand mot. Because I had not planned anything at all.

Planned is a big word. Because I had not planned anything at all.

Car je n'avais absolument rien programmé. Not even the flight tickets. Pas même les billets d'avion.

Because I hadn't planned anything at all. Not even the flight tickets.

And that's a good thing. Tant mieux. Because things did not go as planned in the office. Car

And that's a good thing. So much the better. Because things did not go as planned in the office. Because

les choses ne sont pas passées comme prévues au bureau. My superior extended her maternity

Things did not go as planned at the office. My superior extended her maternity leave.

leave. Ma responsable a prolongé ses congés maternité. And so I cancelled my holidays to

leave. My manager extended her maternity leave. And so I canceled my holidays to

hold the fort. J'ai donc annulé mes vacances pour tenir la boutique. At the time, I thought to myself,

hold the fort. So I canceled my vacation to manage the shop. At the time, I thought to myself,

mais dites alors. That's fine. Qu'à cela ne tienne. I will go on holidays in October. Je

But then say it. That's fine. So be it. I will go on holidays in October. I

prendrai des vacances en octobre. Well, October is fast approaching. Eh bien, octobre arrive à

I will take a vacation in October. Well, October is fast approaching.

grand pas. And I have not prepared anything yet. Et je n'ai encore rien préparé. Ah yes.

big step. Ah yes.

I booked my flight tickets for Australia. Ah si. J'ai réservé mes billets d'avion pour

Ah yes. I booked my flight tickets for Australia.

l'Australie. I will go visit some friends and on a camping trip. J'irai rendre visite à quelques

Australia. I will go visit some friends and on a camping trip. I will visit some.

amis et faire du camping. After that, I would love to discover Southeast Asia. Ensuite, j'aimerais

friends and go camping. After that, I would love to discover Southeast Asia.

l'Asie du Sud-Est. I never went there. Je n'y suis jamais allé. But I've been thinking about it

Southeast Asia. I never went there. But I've been thinking about it.

for many years. Mais j'y pense depuis plusieurs années. It's quite close to Australia. C'est

for many years. But I've been thinking about it for several years. It's quite close to Australia.

assez proche de l'Australie. And so it's the occasion to go for a trip there. C'est donc

close enough to Australia. And so it's the occasion to go for a trip there. So it is

l'occasion d'y faire un tour. I'm going to Australia. I'm going to Australia. I'm going to

the opportunity to take a tour there.

Australia. I'm going to Australia. I'm going to Australia. I'm going to Australia. I'm going to

Australia. I'm going to Australia. I'm going to Australia. I'm going to Australia. I'm going to.

I'm thinking about Cambodia, China, Vietnam and maybe even Philippines. Je pense au Cambodge,

I'm thinking about Cambodia, China, Vietnam, and maybe even the Philippines.

à la Chine, au Vietnam, peut-être même aux Philippines. My problem is I'm terrible at

to China, to Vietnam, maybe even to the Philippines. My problem is I'm terrible at

planning holidays. Mon problème, c'est que je suis très mauvais pour planifier des vacances.

Planning holidays. My problem is that I am very bad at planning vacations.

I never know where to go. Je ne sais jamais où aller.

I never know where to go.

Et je décide toujours tout au dernier moment. Je ne suis pas comme ces personnes qui connaissent

And I always decide everything at the last moment. I am not like those people who know.

avec précision leur itinéraire six mois en avance. Six mois à l'avance.

with precision their itinerary six months in advance. Six months in advance.

and who know where they will take each of their meal and spend each of their night

and who knows where they will take each of their meal and spend each of their night

et qui savent où elles prendront chacun de leurs repas et passeront chacune de leurs nuits.

and who know where they will have each of their meals and spend each of their nights.

I'm the type to improvise. Je suis du genre à improviser.

I'm the type to improvise.

But a little preparation can go a long way.

But a little preparation can go a long way.

Mais un minimum de préparation peut faire une grande différence.

But a minimum of preparation can make a big difference.

And so I'd like to ask for your advice, your suggestions, your recommendations.

And so I'd like to ask for your advice, your suggestions, your recommendations.

Je voudrais donc vous demander votre avis, vos suggestions, vos recommandations.

I would like to ask for your opinion, your suggestions, your recommendations.

Chances are I won't listen to you and I'll do things my own way.

Chances are I won't listen to you and I'll do things my own way.

Il y a de fortes chances.

There is a good chance.

Pour que je ne vous écoute pas et que je n'en fasse qu'à ma tête.

So that I do not listen to you and do whatever I want.

But who knows? Mais qui sait?

But who knows?

Maybe I can visit you. Peut-être que je peux vous rendre visite.

Maybe I can visit you.

Give me a tour of your suburb, recommend a good inn and I'll invite you for dinner.

Give me a tour of your suburb, recommend a good inn and I'll invite you for dinner.

Faites-moi visiter votre quartier, conseillez-moi une bonne auberge et je vous invite à dîner.

Show me around your neighborhood, recommend a good inn, and I will invite you to dinner.

See you soon, maybe.

See you soon, maybe.

À bientôt, peut-être.

See you soon, maybe.

In the meantime, you know where to reach me.

In the meantime, you know how to reach me.

En attendant, vous savez où me contacter.

In the meantime, you know where to reach me.

On FrenchThroughStories at gmail.com

On FrenchThroughStories at gmail.com

Merci et à bientôt.

Thank you and see you soon.