Please help me search for my turtle - in French!
March 6, 2016 10:10 AM Subscribe
The stuffed turtle I lost ten days ago is still not back. I want to put up search posters, but need help with the French. Aidez la tortue, s-il vous plait?
When I posted about my stupid loss (I am still beating myself up over this) last week, user litera scripta manet suggested I put up flyers offering complete amnesty and money to whomever brings her back. I have photos of her, thankfully, and can write in German and English (and Japanese for the two Japanese markets in Geneva, in case someone there knows where to get a replacement since she's a Japanese turtle), but the French is too much for my level.
The English text so far is:
"Desperately Wanted
[photo]
200 CHF to whoever brings her back to us – no questions asked!"
And then my number (should I write my actual number here?), but am I missing anything?
May I ask you to translate this into French for me?
Also, where would you post these flyers? Obviously, since Geneva is really close to France, someone might have taken her over the border already and she may never reappear... Or someone threw her away and she was burned with the garbage...
To anyone who thinks spending this much money on a stuffed animal for an adult is frivolous and people have bigger problems: I know that. I just donated the same amount to UNICEF and WWF for actual turtles, but I need this turtle to sleep. She was with me during the worst of my depression and is something like an actual pet to me, especially since I will probably never have a real turtle because I don't have a big enough garden and don't want a living being in suboptimal living circumstances. I have been told that this is a good opportunity to let go of my desire for worldly possessions, but god damnit , she's not a designer handbag and we try to live without producing a lot of waste - I just want my sleeping buddy back. They also don't make turtles this cute anymore, we checked with the maker.
I also know that some poor person may have taken her for their own child, but 200 CHF should be enough for them to buy a new stuffed animal, and I think children should learn that giving back what is not theirs is the right thing to do, so I don't feel too guilty about that either.
When I posted about my stupid loss (I am still beating myself up over this) last week, user litera scripta manet suggested I put up flyers offering complete amnesty and money to whomever brings her back. I have photos of her, thankfully, and can write in German and English (and Japanese for the two Japanese markets in Geneva, in case someone there knows where to get a replacement since she's a Japanese turtle), but the French is too much for my level.
The English text so far is:
"Desperately Wanted
[photo]
200 CHF to whoever brings her back to us – no questions asked!"
And then my number (should I write my actual number here?), but am I missing anything?
May I ask you to translate this into French for me?
Also, where would you post these flyers? Obviously, since Geneva is really close to France, someone might have taken her over the border already and she may never reappear... Or someone threw her away and she was burned with the garbage...
To anyone who thinks spending this much money on a stuffed animal for an adult is frivolous and people have bigger problems: I know that. I just donated the same amount to UNICEF and WWF for actual turtles, but I need this turtle to sleep. She was with me during the worst of my depression and is something like an actual pet to me, especially since I will probably never have a real turtle because I don't have a big enough garden and don't want a living being in suboptimal living circumstances. I have been told that this is a good opportunity to let go of my desire for worldly possessions, but god damnit , she's not a designer handbag and we try to live without producing a lot of waste - I just want my sleeping buddy back. They also don't make turtles this cute anymore, we checked with the maker.
I also know that some poor person may have taken her for their own child, but 200 CHF should be enough for them to buy a new stuffed animal, and I think children should learn that giving back what is not theirs is the right thing to do, so I don't feel too guilty about that either.
Best answer: I'm really sorry to hear that you still haven't found your turtle! I was just thinking about this the other day and wondered if you'd had any luck yet.
One other idea:
I know the social media thing was mentioned in the other thread, and again, this is probably a long shot, but do you have enough photos to make an instagram for your turtle? Post cute pictures, maybe add a little note about how much your turtle means to you. Maybe tweet links to the instagram, and ask other people to do the same. You may not be able to get this to go "viral" but it could help get the word out a bit, and who knows, maybe the right person will see it and it will get you reunited with your turtle.
Not sure if you've tried facebook yet, but I would consider doing the same thing with posting pics on facebook, or even making a facebook for your turtle. Or a facebook group? (I haven't actively used facebook in almost 10 years, so not sure how things work over there any more.)
Actually, tumblr could be pretty great for this. If you don't have one already, you can get one, and post pictures of your turtle along with the story of how you lost it and how much you want it back. The reblogging feature of tumblr really helps get the word spreading quickly with these things.
posted by litera scripta manet at 4:30 PM on March 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
One other idea:
I know the social media thing was mentioned in the other thread, and again, this is probably a long shot, but do you have enough photos to make an instagram for your turtle? Post cute pictures, maybe add a little note about how much your turtle means to you. Maybe tweet links to the instagram, and ask other people to do the same. You may not be able to get this to go "viral" but it could help get the word out a bit, and who knows, maybe the right person will see it and it will get you reunited with your turtle.
Not sure if you've tried facebook yet, but I would consider doing the same thing with posting pics on facebook, or even making a facebook for your turtle. Or a facebook group? (I haven't actively used facebook in almost 10 years, so not sure how things work over there any more.)
Actually, tumblr could be pretty great for this. If you don't have one already, you can get one, and post pictures of your turtle along with the story of how you lost it and how much you want it back. The reblogging feature of tumblr really helps get the word spreading quickly with these things.
posted by litera scripta manet at 4:30 PM on March 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
Put your number on the ad.
If you can't get your turtle back, can you try finding its sibling on eBay? My daughter' favourite plush doll was getting really worn out, so, since the model has been discontinued for years, I looked up the brand on eBay and hurrah there was someone selling brand new ones. I understand that it won't be your turtle but that's better than nothing.
posted by elgilito at 6:38 AM on March 7, 2016
If you can't get your turtle back, can you try finding its sibling on eBay? My daughter' favourite plush doll was getting really worn out, so, since the model has been discontinued for years, I looked up the brand on eBay and hurrah there was someone selling brand new ones. I understand that it won't be your turtle but that's better than nothing.
posted by elgilito at 6:38 AM on March 7, 2016
Response by poster: The maker just contacted my boyfriend and while they don't make that model anymore (and we couldn't find her on Ebay, Yahoo Auctions or any similar Japanese sites), they have ONE remaining turtle from the next series, which looks pretty close, although not the same. We'll buy it, of course, and have it shipped here from Hiroshima.
Boyfriend just printed out flyers to put up (gonna marry this guy) and I will set up a tumblr, Instagramm, Twitter etc. as soon as I have time. (I don't have accounts yet.)
Thank you so much, everyone!
posted by LoonyLovegood at 10:43 AM on March 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
Boyfriend just printed out flyers to put up (gonna marry this guy) and I will set up a tumblr, Instagramm, Twitter etc. as soon as I have time. (I don't have accounts yet.)
Thank you so much, everyone!
posted by LoonyLovegood at 10:43 AM on March 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Dang it, Instagram needs a smartphone to register. I'm having the worst of luck, my iPhone just brown a over the Christmas holidays...
posted by LoonyLovegood at 11:20 AM on March 7, 2016
posted by LoonyLovegood at 11:20 AM on March 7, 2016
Response by poster: Everyone, thank you for your help! Unfortunately, my turtle never came back despite my many efforts, but my partner contacted the company in Japan and they had ONE turtle left from the following series, which looks similar enough. I do still wonder where she is now, but partner says her soul is inhabiting the new turtle now. (We also bought two smaller turtles in the same style used, a tiny one for my office and a medium one he has in Japan now as we're long-distance again.)
posted by LoonyLovegood at 8:54 AM on September 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by LoonyLovegood at 8:54 AM on September 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
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Propriétaire désespérée offre 200 chf (sans question) à quiconque me ramène cette tortue.
posted by bluefrog at 10:30 AM on March 6, 2016 [7 favorites]