There’s no doubt about it — learning a new language opens doors to other cultures. It enhances your travel experiences, giving you a greater understanding of the people and culture you are experiencing.
Maybe you realized you were a budding francophile from an early age when you lined your walls with posters of the Eiffel Tower and dreamed of one day visiting the City of Lights, or maybe language-learning is a new adventure and the romantic song-like nature of French drew you in.
Whatever your reason may be, French is a fantastique language to learn. Sure, language learning can be hard, and you’ll have to start by learning to stop pronouncing, like, half the letters on the page. But once you know the rules, you’ll be speaking conversationally to francophones in no time!
And we all know the stereotypes about the aloof Parisians, but we bet you they will soften right up when you show them you’re making an effort to learn French abroad and communicate with them in their native tongue.
Why attend French language schools?
If you’re looking for maximum impact in a short amount of time, there is no better way than to head to a French language school abroad. There you’ll get not only the benefit of intense classroom learning through teachers who are native speakers, but you’ll also be immersed in the language outside the classroom.
You’ll pick up slang and get to listen to music and watch TV or movies in the target language, all of which is much more difficult back in your home country. Plus, we imagine it can be difficult to motivate yourself to find French speakers back home outside of your couple hours a week in the classroom.
At French language schools, you won’t have a choice — and that nice push into the language will be a fun and rewarding challenge!
8 things to know about learning French abroad
1. You don’t have to just go to France
So you’ve made the choice to learn French abroad — génial! That’s great! Learning a new language opens doors to new cultures, experiences, customs, and exciting interactions. French is an amazing choice, spoken by people all over the world, and not just in la belle France.
Maybe you’ve dreamed of taking a boat ride down the Seine with the Eiffel Tower in view, but if you’re itching to visit other continents as well, French still has you covered. Many countries in Africa have major French-speaking populations and several Caribbean Islands do too.
You’ll even find traces of French history and language in Southeast Asia! You’ll have your pick of countries to choose from when you learn French abroad.
2. Expect the grading or expectations to be different
This might be an obvious one, but not all school systems mimic the North American experience. Grading in France, for example, can be pretty harsh. With points typically out of 20 and the top scores reserved “for God, then the professor” don’t expect French teachers to dole out 100% on every assignment.
Teachers may also post grades publicly or, gasp, read them outloud in front of your peers. This is the norm for French students growing up, so it’s just a cultural difference you’ll have to get used to. Remember that everyone is learning, so there is no need to seek a perfect score!
3. French is spoken worldwide
French is a great language to learn because it is spoken in many countries all over the world. It’s not just an official language of several European countries; French is also the primary language spoken in many African countries, parts of Canada, and several island nations in the Caribbean and the Pacific. It’s even used in some parts of the United States!
It’s part of the romance language group with Latin roots, which will help if you want to learn any of the other languages in the group, like Spanish or Italian. You’ll probably be surprised to find that many French and English words are similar, as English adopted many French words after the Norman conquest in 1066.
French is taught in schools worldwide and is an official diplomatic language, which will allow you to converse with others all over the globe. It could even give you a headstart on your future career with the United Nations, where it’s a required language for employment!
4. There is more than one type of “French”
So now that you know just how many places and people claim French as a native or secondary language, it’s no surprise that there are lots of different dialects of French. A common one you may have heard about is up north in Canada.
Canadian French spoken in the Quebec province has a different accent and different vocabulary from the standard French spoken in France, heavily influenced by English and riddled with slang that makes even native French speakers from across the pond say, quoi?!
Even within France (which is the size of Texas), you’ll find several different accents, and if you hop borders to Switzerland or Belgium, you’ll find different ones there too. African and island nations have also formed their own dialects in the time since colonization.
The standard French that’s spoken in France, will, of course, help you out everywhere, but be aware that just like in English, there are many variations!
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5. Be prepared for total immersion
Choosing a language school abroad is the perfect way to immerse yourself in a new culture and a new language. Don’t think this will be like your high school French class; you’ll probably be going to your French language school, taught in French, for several hours a day.
Top that off with a homestay where you’ll converse and dine with your family and get to put those skills into practice outside of the classroom, and your brain might be begging for a French break after a while. But don’t worry! This is your chance to really dive in and soak up all the language practice you can. Before you know it you’ll be dreaming in French...and fluency arrives not long after that!
6. French language classes may be intense, but your lifestyle will be relaxed
Going to a French language school probably means intense classroom days and lots of new information thrown at you all at once. You’ll get used to the pace quickly, though, and be on your way to fluency in no time!
The plus side to living abroad, though, is that many of the cultures where French is spoken tend to be more relaxed and operate at a slower pace than in North America, valuing work-life balance, long relaxing meals, spending time outdoors, and a fine glass of wine. When you’re not in the classroom you’ll find plenty of ways to spend your free time.
7. You’ll pick up things much faster
You’ve probably heard this one before, but it’s worth repeating — you’ll never learn a new language faster than when you are thrown into an immersion experience. Choosing to learn French abroad will give you that opportunity.
You’ll get to focus on intense daily French language courses taught by native speakers, and then continue your learning experience on the streets, on the metro, in the grocery, and at home. These are experiences that are hard to replicate back home and they absolutely encourage you to pick up new words and fluency quickly.
8. You could become a teacher yourself!
Sure it might be an adjustment at first, but once you get in the swing of things with new teachers and learning styles, and a new culture with new places and traditions to explore around every corner, you just might (okay, probably will) fall in love.
Maybe you found French language is your new passion, or that language learning (while challenging) is actually really fun. Maybe you enjoy the cultural exchange of getting to talk to new people from all over the world and enjoy sharing your culture with others.
If all of these things appeal to you, you could consider teaching English in francophone countries after your language school abroad stay is over. The French government offers placements in France as well as its overseas territories (think Réunion off the coast of Africa or Guadeloupe in the Caribbean) where you can help others learn a new language all while keeping your own language skills on point.
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You’re ready to learn French abroad!
There’s no better way to learn a language than by diving headfirst into an immersion experience abroad! If you’ve ever wanted to travel to a French-speaking country, why not enhance your stay and learn the language while you are there?
Learn French abroad and you will improve your travel experience, gain new skills and lasting memories, and enjoy the ability to communicate and make friends with French speakers all over the world!
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