Language Preparation

A Sense of Purpose

Though you will enroll in intensive French language courses in Paris, you need to hone your language skills before you depart from the U.S. so that everyday life is easier for you and so that your language studies will have a greater impact. You should begin reviewing your French early! Listen to French conversation tapes and review the grammatical structures you have studied in the textbooks used in previous courses. Converse with a language partner and begin to familiarize yourself with idiomatic and colloquial French. If you would like to brush up on your reading skills, pick up French newspapers and magazines to read or read them online. L’Express and Le Nouvel Observateur are two examples.

You might even try watching French movies and French news on television or on the internet.  The Boston University Department of Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures receives France 2 and France 3 by satellite. You can view the news and films at the Geddes Language Center located on the fifth floor, 685 Commonwealth Avenue.

For more information, call 617-353-4575. Non-Boston University students can view FR3 on cable television, through the International Channel, aired every night at 7 p.m.

There’s more to preparing for your semester in Paris than applying for your visa or deciding what to pack. You’ll also need to identify your own goals and objectives:

  • Establish some general priorities before you go—academic, personal, linguistic, and professional—and try to keep them in mind throughout the semester.
  • Think about how you might accomplish those goals.
  • Remember to keep an open mind — learn from all your experiences.

Personal Growth and Cultural Awareness

During your time abroad, you can expect to experience many changes that will challenge your sense of order. Consider the following list of factors in the physical and cultural environment that vary from place to place: climate, language, non-verbal communication, market life, religion, family life, use of space, entertainment, recreation, food and drink etiquette, expression of emotions. Culture shapes and molds our thoughts and actions, telling us what is important and what is right. You may find certain aspects of a culture hard to adapt to, such as eating raw meat or voicing your political views. It is important to keep in mind the distinction between adapting and adopting. You do not have to change, but try to understand. The first person you meet in a cross-cultural interaction is yourself.

“Living in a foreign culture is like playing a game you’ve never played before and for which the rules haven’t been explained very well. The challenge is to enjoy the game without missing too many plays, learning the rules and developing skills as you go along.”
–Robert Kohls

How much do you know about your host country?

(You can do the same exercise for your own country.)

Name as many people you know, who are prominent in France today. In what field/area are they (politics, athletics, religion, philosophy, the arts, etc.)?
Are there national heroes and heroines? If so, can you name any?
What is the place of religion in French life? Is there a predominant one? How are other religions considered?
What is the place of education? Is it free? Mandatory? How do public and private schools compare?
How do students select a university? Are there universities considered better than others in the country? How selective is the application process?
What are the “Grandes Ecoles”?
Are there other languages spoken besides the dominant language? What are the social and political implications of language usage?
What is the attitude to foreigners (Europeans, non-Europeans) in France? How much is this related to history?
France is known for its food and wine. What is the attitude toward eating? Drinking?
Are there things/ topics of discussion taboo in this society?
What are the large circulation newspapers? What is their attitude toward the government? Toward the United States?
What kinds of programs do you find on TV? Are the channels public, private? How much advertisement is there?
What is the normal work schedule? How much free time do people have? How much holiday time?
Are there recreational activities/sports more popular than others? How much do French people practice a sport, and what kind?
What is the etiquette for dinner: if you are invited, should you arrive early, on time, late? If late, how late? Are you expected to bring something?

Reading

You may want to read the following books before departure to gain a better understanding of what to expect in terms of language acquisition and the French workplace:

  • Culture Smart! France, a quick guide to customs & etiquette; by Barry Tomalin, (Kuperard Press, 2007)
  • My Life in France by Julia Child (Anchor Books, 2006)
  • Sixty Million Frenchmen Can’t Be Wrong: Why We Love France but Not the French; Jean-Benoit Nadeau and Julie Barlow,  (Sourcebooks Trade, 2003)
  • Culture from the Inside Out: Travel and Meet Yourself ; Alan Cornes, (Intercultural Press, 2004)
  • French and Americans: The Other Shore, Pascal Baudry,  (Les Frenchies, Inc., 2005)

À la Radio

Students in the Boston area can tune in to French programming at: WJIB 740 am, Cambridge
Radio France International Weekdays, 7 – 9 a.m.

Helpful Websites

Music

  • Jacques Brel
  • Olivia Ruiz
  • Barbara
  • Benabar
  • Edith Piaf

Films

  • 400 Coups
  • La Haine
  • Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain
  • Cyrano de Bergerac de Jean-Paul Rappeneau
  • Le dernier métro
  • Paris, je t’aime