No Romance language is going to best me...

My first semester as a student of the French language is sealed. I've shelled out the $150 for the textbook -- and that was even saving money! If I'd gotten it new, it would have been $200! Obscene! -- and there's really no course with which to replace French 103 in my schedule should I wish to drop it. I'm excited to learn French, but this class is going to be, to quote the guy whose desk neighbors mine, a wild ride.

It's French 101 and 102 combined in one semester (hence, accelerated elementary French) which in theory means that you don't need previous experience to take it. In practice, however, the prof doesn't seem to remember this. I'm quite fine with the actual material -- what we learn from the textbook and all that -- and the pace we're going at. I like studying languages; they make sense to me; I've had experience learning two other foreign languages, and language learning is a general, transferrable sort of skill.

But the professor, apparently assuming much greater knowledge of the language than can be gained in two classes, speaks French about 90% of the time in class. Example:

French professor: Jabber jabber jabber jabber *encouraging nod*
Me: Um....*perplexed if furrow my brow at you hard enough will I understand what you just said? stare*


So that's presenting some challenges. But at least, thank God, there are two other students in the class who've never had French. And I'm going to do well in this class. I am! This is the sort of challenge that actually makes me want even more to triumph. (I'm really not that sort of student usually.) I'm ready for you, French 103! If you think you can take me down, you are wrong!