Learning French is Smart, Studying French in France is Smarter
Many people study French in a variety of ways including: taking classes; reading books, using workbooks, listening to CDs, watching DVDs, using a computer. Some people even going to Canada but they are called hockey players and that is for another time. The sad thing is that too few are doing it the best or most fun way by studying where French originated. People who don’t learn French in Paris, Nice or somewhere else in France are just plain missing out. Until you study abroad in France, you will never fully grasp the language, the culture, the people and the history. These are the factors that make the language come alive. But I get ahead of myself, I want to tell you why you want to learn French.
Knowing French is an incredibly helpful skill to possess in today’s increasingly global world. These days, it is not just enough to be smart or capable; you have to have that extra edge over your competition in the workplace and being multilingual is just the sort of upper hand that could launch you to your perfect career. In addition, speaking French allows you to visit or live in French speaking countries, which has many more personal benefits, such as easier travel, enjoying the food and wine, learning about French artists, participating in new sports, and all around sight seeing.
French is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, not just because of the total number of speakers, but also because of the amount of different countries that list French as an official language. From Europe, to North America, to Africa, to South America, French is found throughout the land. Even in the United States, Louisiana has a high percentage of Creole speakers, a regional dialect. By learning the language, your travel possibilities are endless. It is much easier to adapt to a foreign country when you can interact with the locals- you are less likely to be labeled as a tourist, and in turn, are more accepted into the community. This allows you to see the real side of the country, not just the pre-packaged version aimed at novice travelers.
Arguably some of the best cuisine in the world, France is known for its rich food, specifically its wine and cheese. France produces about eight million bottles of various wines per year, including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Champagne in vineyards throughout the country. Studying abroad will give you the excuse to go on a tasting tour through the countryside. Nothing goes better with wine than cheese, and France offers somewhere around four hundred protected cheeses, A-V (Abondance to Valençay). Once you have experienced a bite, you will understand the famous saying, “Un repas sans fromage est comme une journée sans soleil” (A meal without cheese is like a day without sunshine).
While Italy was home of the renaissance, coincidentally a French word meaning “rebirth”, France was the country that gave the world the impressionist movement. Those unfamiliar with this term may be better acquainted with names like Claude Monet and Edgar Degas. These artists contributed to a new movement in which large, visible brushstrokes, everyday subject matter, and changing light played crucial roles. France continued to introduce the world to great artists, such as Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall. Other mediums, such as fashion and photography have given us Eugéne Atget and Yves Saint-Laurent.
So art does not interest you, how about sports? Soccer, the reigning popular sport everywhere else in the world, employs over two million official players in France. Even the international soccer league, FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) was started here. In addition, Grand Prix Racing, also known as formula one, got its start in France. Cycling enjoys what many see as its most important race each summer with the Tour de France, a three week race in July throughout the French countryside. Though the sport has received some negative attention in recent years for doping allegations, Lance Armstrong popularized cycling to Americans with seven consecutive wins. In addition, basketball, volleyball, rugby, tennis, sailing, and even foosball are incredibly popular. It all makes sense, when you consider that the modern Olympics we know today originated in France in 1894.
With so many major cities, there are many major attractions in France. Paris is home to the Louvre, one of the world’s most famous museums and marked by architect I. M. Pei’s fantastical glass pyramid. Perhaps the most famous work in the building is the Mona Lisa, viewed by hundreds of visitors each day. A trip is not complete without a day at Versailles, home of the French royalty, most notably Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Cannes hosts its famous film festival each May, premiering some of the world’s soon to be big hits of the year. Though entrance to the festival is invitation-only, celebrity hunting is free of charge. Architecture buffs will fall in love with France, home of the Gothic movement. Credited to Abbot Suger in the twelfth century, the first examples of gothic churches can be seen at Saint-Denis (north of Paris), Chartres Cathedral, and Reims Cathedral.
With so much to see and experience in France and other French-speaking countries, learning the language will not only make your vacations easier and more enjoyable, but it will allow you to make the most of your time. Without relying on others to show you the sites, find you restaurants, explore museums, or take you to sporting events, you are in control of your trip. By customizing your vacation to your specific needs, you are able to create your own personal French experience. And isn’t that what travel is really about?
So why not study French in Paris or study abroad in Montpellier. Time is a wasting, get going!
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