FRE 124 the course to take

Why do I have the audacity to advice students of all majors to take this class? I have made it, believe me, it's one of the reasons I have enjoyed my degree at Daystar University.

Can anyone imagine that this is an exam? Yeah I thought so, you think I am just bluffing. I am serious, this course has no written exam, just blog posts and you have your grade.

Enough of the trivial matters. Let me explain why I chose this course. I added this course as a filler to complete my hours. I needed to graduate and I had free electives hours to cover. My late addition not withstanding, thanks to Dr. Wandia, the HOD of Languages and Performing Arts at Daystar University. I didn't know of the fun that was in store for me through the semester.

All foodies in the house, can I hear an an amen. This is the course for you. We cooked and sampled cuisine from different Francophone countries. This course even made some of us better cooks. You can just peruse the different articles on this blog written under cuisine, to get a feel of what I am saying.

This is one of the coolest class you will ever find. Can anyone tell me, when was the last time you took a selfie with your lecturer? At FRE 124, we were so free with our lecturer. Dr. Wandia Njoya took the four of us through the course just the same way she would handle a full class.

Yes that was the whole class. Where are the students to take this class? You do not know what you are missing out on.

Any student claiming to have passed through an African University should have some knowledge of African history. This class gave a wealth of knowledge on Negritude, the colonization of francophone Africa and of course Haiti. After every class, I had the desire to read more African history.
https://books.google.co.ke/books/about/The_Wretched_of_the_Earth.html?id=-XGKFJq4eccC&hl=en
Patrice Lumumba and
Léopold Senghor are part of the interesting topics of discussion.   

We were even nominated for the blog awards by BAKE. This time we did not clinch the title but who knows, maybe if you join this blog might be the next best education blog.

Finally, I am not a linguistic major. My major is Public Relations, which is why I haven't mastered my French. This course is taught in English one gets to learn french on the way as you interact with French terms. Actually regardless of your major, you need some cultural classes because the world is shrinking into a village.

All the best as you make your choice for the coming semesters. Look out for FRE 124. Remember that no pre-requisites are needed to register.

An insight to France

France is a beautiful country that boasts of a beautiful landscape as well as being home to most of the most prestigious and ancient buildings in history. Being known as the city of love and lights, France is a recommended ideal tourist destination for all the lovebirds who want to bask in the aura of their love and enjoy every moment of it.
Among the notable things in France is its rich cultural diversity.

The population of France is composed of a diverse range of inhabitants from all parts of the world. A mix of Asians, 'Black' people and of course the 'White' people can be seen interacting in all French states with little or no cases reported of racism reported in the recent years. Racism has been a major concern in France but the French government in conjunction with other human rights bodies have waged war to end racism in the country.
The country has embraced all races and this has been established by the numerous job opportunities offered to people from other races as well as their intermarriages with the indigenous French natives overtime.


Apart from cultural diversity, the French menu is composed of well over a thousand indigenous recipes that have sprung from within the country. Most meals are served in courses of 2 or 3 with meals accompanied by wine, baguettes (a type of long, hard bread) and cheese.

 Being a country that has witnessed a couple of revolutions over the years and a horde of interesting leaders, France has a number of holidays and festivals spread out all through their calender year. As a tourist in France, this assures you that you are most likely to be part of a French festival or holiday no matter what time of the year you choose to travel to the country.
One of the most prolific and interesting holidays is the Bastille Day that is marked by Soldiers in Uniform marching on the streets of  and a firework display to signify the beginning of the French Revolution. The day is marked on July 14th every year with a large crowd turning up to witness the twist of events in that day.

Probably the most interesting part about France is their fashion sense. High-end designers such as Chanel, Gucci and Louis Vuitton are all French designers who have taken over the fashion industry by storm.

Their clothes are said to be of high quality handmade by the best cloth makers in the world. This is probably why designer clothes are very expensive. Other notable designers from France include Dior, Givenchy, Lacoste and Balmain.
In terms of music, French music is perceived to be slow romantic music but French rappers have sprung up in recent years. The likes of Stromae are a classic example of French rappers who have been able make a name for themselves by rapping in the French language thus creating diversity in terms of music genres.

 Among the most popular songs by Stromae are Papaoutai, Tous le meme, Formidable and Dodo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiKj0Z_Xnjc
There are a lot of things that one can do in France be it site-seeing, eating or shopping. It should therefore be in a requirement in everyone's bucket-list to visit this famous country one day.

La Vie en France: French Citizenship and Immigration

We  recently had a class where we discussed about acquiring French citizenship and the hurdles involved in migrating to France for non-citizens. Europe is a dream come true for many people from countries plagued by poverty, unemployment and political instability. However, there is a challenge to moving to greener pastures. Integrating oneself to the new environment and culture and having your way of life accepted by the other culture has proven difficult.

Definition of a French citizen

There are different versions of what people define being 'French' to mean. To some being a French monsieur, madame or mademoiselle you should be of Caucasian descent while to others being French means to be born in the country or living in France for several years and acknowledging the language and culture of the state regardless of race. This has resulted in racial discrimination towards some immigrants and even citizens of France who are not of Caucasian descent.

French Citizenship

Upsurge of different cultures

Immigration to France increased significantly between the periods of 1945 to 1974. Most immigrants are from Africa, other European countries and Asia. Most African immigrants came from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Mali, Senegal and Cote d'Ivoire. This influx of immigrants saw an introduction of several cultures into France in terms of language, religion and even cuisine.

Today there exist restaurants in France that serve Cameroonian cuisine or Chinese food. There is also the presence of other religions like Judaism and Islam. This has changed the face of France and it is now seen to be a multi-cultural country.

African Restaurant in France and the Grand Mosque in Paris

Life of Immigrants in France

There are pros and cons experienced by immigrants on moving to France. France provides better opportunities for employment compared to the home countries of immigrants. There is also security due to political stability and higher standards of living. High quality educational facilities are also more accessible.

The negative experiences might include difficulty in attaining citizenship documents even after meeting the requirements for application. The novel Un amour sans papiers by Nathalie Etoke, an author and professor of French in an American university, looks into the world of immigrants living in France. We were honored to have a Skype chat with Nathalie during one of our classes where she touched on issues regarding French citizenship and her experiences while she lived in France.                                                   
Immigrants may also face racial or religious discrimination while trying to settle in France.

The Future of immigrants in France

It is my hope that France will grow to integrate a variety of cultures and to become a state that appreciates cultural diversity. Also appropriate measures should be taken by the French government to protect immigrants and their descendants from any form of discrimination.

Cultural Diversity