1.30.2020 – Natz on learning French
1.30.2020 - Natz, French peer tutor, on learning French Heading link
Growing up with immigrant parents I was fortunate enough to learn Spanish and English simultaneously since birth. Since I had spoken both these languages for the entirety of my life I became curious about other cultures and given the opportunity I set out to learn French in high school because I knew at some point I wanted to go to France. Since I knew two languages prior to learning French it became easier for me to understand but I still struggled with minor details of the language because learning a new language is difficult. After 3 years of taking French I was able to partake in an exchange program in 2017 through my high school and made a very special connection with my French Exchange Student. Through the 2 weeks she spent at my house I made it my mission to practice my French as much as possible so I could truly benefit from the experience and have extra practice before I went to Figeac and Paris.
While in France, I spoke as much French as I could and took in the different culture because that was the reason I wanted to learn French in the first place. I wanted to push myself to understand another culture and see everything this place had to offer. 3 years later and I am still learning more about the French Culture and I am still in awe of the differences between the cultures I am accustomed to and this culture I have been learning about for the past 6 years.
Through learning French I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone and learned to communicate with others in a language that was not my native tongue. It has also pushed me to look into different study abroad programs so I can continue to push myself to use the language outside of the United States. Ultimately, French has made me look at the world in a different perspective and has made me curious of other world cultures that I can learn from.
-Natz