I’ve published a couple french videos as a fun way to help myself learn some basic but needed things to communicate.
See my youtube channel for updates there:
http://www.youtube.com/vincentcharles

Need the hardware store.
Funny. I finally had some time to myself, I washed the dishes, sat down began to check my email and wondered, ‘What do I want to do? What do I feel like? What needs to happen now? What feels right? etc etc.
Then all of a sudden there was an explosion of hot water from under the sink. The floor began to flood, there was too much hot water rushing out to feel it by hand, or even look closely enough to see where the leak was coming from.

I panicked! Where was the water cut-off valve? Did I need to find it for the entire apartment complex? Or just my place?
The floor began to puddle. Things were getting wet–the rug, my bed sheet, my electronic stuff. So I moved the essentials out of the way and realized (why I was in a panic), I didn’t know how to ask for help! even the words, ‘please help me’ are unknown to me. I had my little translation book but as the water continued to spray I couldn’t get myself to focus on actually finding the right way to say ‘I’m panicking!’

So I knocked on 3 neighbors’ doors until one answered.
I said quickly, ‘I don’t understand much french.’ Then motioned and got her to listen to the gushing sounds of the water filling my floor!
She came downstairs and noticed what I was talking about.
I tried to describe, ‘Where is the water cutoff valve?’
She suggested calling the manager or something. I said sure.

She said to come back upstairs to her place.

I did, then when standing there, I had a moment of clarity, I pictured the hot water tank in the bathroom. This was hot water flowing out, there had to be a valve right on the tank.
So i said, ‘Où!’ which means ‘Or!’ but I meant to just say, ‘Oh!’

I ran downstairs and noticed the valve. I turned it and off the water stopped!

Then and now it’s cleanup time.
I mopped and dumped a few buckets of water, then used some floor sanitizer I just got, then I asked my neighbor to help once more. She let me know the name of the place to buy hardware, Midica. It’s not too far.
Next up…right now is to skate there before 7:30 when they close. It’s after 6:40 now.
I hope to not need a new faucet head and just the hoses.
But the problem happened because the faucet was loose and the metal to metal of the sink and hose lining rubbed until breaking, then bare rubber tubing was rubbed away. And finally with some hot water to soften the mangled rubber….it tore open and my adventures began.
http://www.midica.fr/index2.html