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.