This summer I learned that the language acquisition process requires patience and plenty of practice. At first, I was very hesitant to speak out of fear that I would make a mistake or would not be understood. I learned that in order to make any progress with languages it is absolutely necessary to get over that fear and speak at every opportunity even if locals can speak English. Luckily, we had great discussions during class every day on topics such as the environment, health care, and women’s rights. I got to share my culture’s perspective but what proved more interesting was hearing what my professor shared on French culture and current events. Furthermore, I engaged in cultural activities sponsored by the school during which we visited lesser known museums and learned about French cinema and television. One of my goals was to be able to converse in French well and I think I reached my goal to some extent but I am still working on it. The speed of the French language is much faster than English so that has been my biggest challenge, andI am working on training my ears to adjust to how fast the French speak.
The SLA experience is so much more than language acquisition in my opinion because of the unique opportunity to live in a different country meeting all kinds of people. In my class of 13, I had students coming from 11 different countries. During discussion, everyone talked from their country’s perspective (in French of course) and it was beyond fascinating to hear about their countries and cultures from an authentic and genuine point of view. We are living in a confusing world where the ideas of prejudice and nationalism steer young and old minds alike from looking outwards toward the rest of the world. I found that having casual conversations over coffee and building relationships with my classmates opened my eyes in ways I could never predict. For students preparing to start their summer language study, I would highly recommend finding a school that targets international students and accommodates foreigners looking to work in that country. At first, I was intimidated at the prospect of taking classes with working age adults but the class dynamic pushed me to realize that age should never deter you from trying and from expressing yourself. I think it is really important for students to go into this experience with an open mind and an open heart. I found myself seeking discomfort by saying yes to excursions with classmates and it really paid off.
After this SLA experience, it is really important to me that I keep up with my French because of how much time and effort I have put into cultivating this skill set. Since I am an International Economics major, I will have to prioritize French classes in my schedule which I am very happy about. My hope is to take a French class every semester until graduation to maintain my French. Beyond university requirements, I was thinking about applying to become a French tutor. I have a very strong French grammar background and the more conversation practice I can get the better. I have always had an interest in working abroad and have acquired contacts due to past summer internships that I have done in Europe. My hope is to use to my International Economics degree and this network to find a job that does business with Europe and Asia. This experience has really opened my eyes to the world beyond the United States and I hope to let this new perspective guide me as I start my career after graduation.