Just a little over a week ago I arrived in France! It’s so hard to believe how fast time has flown. This first week has been the best introduction to France I could have asked for. Before starting our courses in Tours, we stayed in Paris enjoying the culture through food, experiences, and of course the beautiful architecture. We went to many museums, churches, and of course visited the major monuments like the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, and the Louvre. I think going to Paris the first week upon arriving was so helpful for the beginning of my classes. It has helped me acclimate to French culture practicing French conversationally. Paris is such a beautiful city and I am so thankful that we went everywhere we possibly could in just the short week we had there.
Three days ago, I arrived in Tours, the town where I will be taking my courses. I am still adjusting but my host family has been very nice. I can’t wait to really get into the heavier content of classes. The past three days I’ve attended the university, we’ve mainly focused on introductions like meeting the other students, teachers, and determining what level is correct for each student. The university sorts each student by their level of French into classes so all the students of a class have roughly the same understanding and competency as each other. I actually moved up a level after the second day so I’m thankful this first week has been at a slower pace to give students time to get adjusted.
There are 4 other students at my host family’s house who are all attending the university here. It is very hectic and everything is so new and different, but everyone has been very understanding. The teachers, my host family, and even the other students are all very cognizant that this is a learning experience not meant to perfect our language skills but to help us improve! So far I think this program has really helped my confidence in speaking French. I can’t wait to see how the rest of the program unfolds!
Until next time!
