For the past two days, I went to the Ciboure beach, a beach next to Saint-Jean de Luz, with Maiena, Laurent, Amaya, and Laurent’s friend since there was a bright sunshine outside.  While the sun was glowing away, the water was freezing as it could be, and temperature was neither too hot nor too cold.  Even though the water was cold, we all braved ourselves to get in the water as we very much wanted to have fun splashing in the water and “se baignant.”  “Se Baigner” is a French verb meaning “to swim” but in a certain way.

Four years ago, on first trip to France, when my first host family took me to the beach, the host mother said to me, “Tu ne peux pas nager, mais tu peux te baigner.”  In the literal translation, she was saying, “You can’t swim, but you can swim.”  I was certainly confused by what she said, and of course, I asked her what was the difference between “nager” and “se baigner.”  She explained to me that “nager” is “to swim” for exercise or sports.  “Se baigner” means to waddle in the water.  In other words, it means to swim gently and not move too much in the water. 

Languages are fascinating.  It’s amazing how one word can mean two different things in another language like “to swim.”

Speaking of beach, if American tourists are searching for some cultural shocks, beaches in Europe are definitely the place for them to check out!  Women do not wear tops!