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LANGUAGE

Learning French throughout my time in college not only prepared me for my study abroad program, but also gave me a new appreciation for the power of language in building relationships with people.

Madame Booth

Madame Booth was a big part of my intercultural experiences at UP, because she encouraged me in her French courses and in conversations to pursue language learning and to study abroad. I have always wanted to study abroad, but as a pre-med biology major I have heard that doing so was nearly impossible with the amount of science-based courses we need to take each semester.  The process looked difficult because I could not take science classes abroad, so it seemed like it would hinder me academically.

 

However, I realized that taking the time to study abroad would be beneficial in building up my intercultural experiences and gaining skills to become more well rounded as an individual. Madame Booth helped me see that, and also showed me logistically how it was not only possible, but relatively easy for me to study in France as a Biology and French double major. I will always be grateful for her push and encouragement, as it led to development in my French language skills and the decision to step out and immerse myself in a different culture.

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A note from Madame Booth when helping me plan for studying abroad

L'ecole IMS

There was an ESL course at a college, l’ecole IMS, that was planning a trip to the US, and the teacher was looking for an American student to speak about where they came from. I volunteered and made a presentation showing my life in Oregon, Portland culture, activities that a typical college student does here, etc. After presenting, a couple of the students invited me to lunch and I was able to get to know them more. We ended up spending more time together and building a friendship. They speak very little English, so learning French really helped me connect with them. 

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Having drinks with students from l’ecole IMS 

ESL Tutoring

When I was in Nantes, I had the opportunity to use both my English and French language skills to hold English speaking group sessions with native French speakers. We held weekly sessions where we had conversations on a variety of topics related to the US- from politics, to books and movies, to social norms. My ability to translate words helped me correct the speakers, and to explain different English words and concepts. 

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Participants in the France Etats Unis (FEU) group ESL sessions

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