By
now you must be wondering, “Why is this guy so insistent on us taking this
French course? I don’t even speak French!” Well let me tell you why. I am a
student of language and I am always fascinated at the prospects of learning a
new language. However, knowledge of a language in itself does no one any good
if you do not understand the culture of the people that speak that language.
The French culture is a big part of history and for any one to appreciate and
enjoy the language; one must dive into the depths of the very rich French
culture.
I
have studied French as my third language since my first year in high school and
I have never come close to understanding what the big deal about French was
apart from it being famous as the language of love until I took this class.
Introduction
to French Culture was an amazing and unique class experience. It was a pleasant
shift from the normal _ teacher dictating notes in front of the class _ to a
more interactive more engaging learning experience.
When
I talk about engaging I am not kidding! This is what stood out for me in this
class: THE FOOD!
It
was the first time in my life that I had to cook a dish as an assignment; I got
the most awkward when I told my friends I was “cooking an assignment” not to
mention the fact that it was a Haitian dish. I will take this opportunity to
tell you that I tasted my first pork dish in this class which was among my many
food fantasies along with, believe it or not, Escargots.
Getting
to learn about the history, fashion, music and cuisine of most of the
Francophone countries has been an eye opener first of all to the misconceptions
about the French and call to appreciation of a culture rich in taste flavor,
music and colour.
At
the end of the day, learning extensively about the French culture gave me a better
platform from which I could use the French language and YES, this class will do
a great deal in helping you speak better French because then you will have something
to talk about, which is the whole essence of language. 
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