Friday, October 15, 2010

Non means no!

My son started kindergarten at a French Immersion school recently, and has been reluctant to speak, though I know he understands at least a little of what is said, and he can devine much more from the context and tone of the teachers. Still, he has not been speaking any French, and hasn’t wanted much to tell me about his school days (normale, je sais!)
Breakthroughs come in small, surprising packages sometimes.

The other morning, while getting ready for school, we began our usual “I hate brushing my teeth” dance, and when I told him to come to the bathroom, he gave me a very Frenchified “Non!” in response.

I said, "Did you just say Non?”

He said “Non!” again.

Flabbergasted, I said the first thing that popped into my head:

“Un...”

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Foster French Connections

A move to a new city--I have recently moved to the Seattle area, myself--can be a lonely effort, or you can view it as a vibrant opportunity to expand your community of friends and acquaintances. It's a matter of choice, and of knowing what you want. Presumably, if you are reading this, you want to learn or improve your French.

If you seek opportunities to work on your language skills, the best thing you can do is tell people--tell everyone!--you speak French, or that you're studying French. Francophones will come out of the woodwork, guaranteed. They will tell you where they connect with other Francophones in your city, where they take/took classes, what they have done in France, and where you can meet other Francophones.

Whether you feel you speak French well, or are just beginning, opportunities open up when you identify outwardly with what you want for yourself inwardly. Once the opportunities become clear, il faut profiter! Check out the classes, go to the conversation groups, look up the French theatre festival, and get involved. When you show up, talk to the others in French, and others will respond in kind.