Phoebe's French Course in Cannes

14th December : 

Phoebe's Final Journal Entry...

"It has been three months since I embarked on a great adventure to the South of France and for the first time in all this time i have a moment to reflect on the time i have spent in Cannes. When I arrived it was the first time I had ever been away from my family for more than two weeks, so three months was so daunting. At first, i thought my French was brilliant after doing well in A-Level French, but in fact after putting it into practice I realised I had a lot to learn! However, if i have learnt anything it is that the best and perhaps only way to learn a language is to live and breathe the culture - it is the only way - and it's great fun at the same time. Now, sitting in the airport, I truly think that i have grown as a person and changed for the better from encountering the most amazing people, so much so that as much as I want to see my family it feels as though I have two homes "le college" being a home from home.

Where to start! Well the important thing is the French, which I have every confidence that it has flourished under the instruction of my prof. Katia, who was amazing and extremely patient. The teachers at the college are brilliant, and with lessons taught solely in French, it is a steep learning curve. Every lesson is structured well and it is balanced with a mix of grammar, listening, reading and writing and every month you progress to the next level so the work never becomes boring or too easy. It is always challenging, but I made so much progress every month that you just await the next lesson with impatience as you know you're going to meet something new. The aspect of learning I loved the most was about French culture, which is intrinsically built into the framework of the lesson, after all every teacher is French - which makes a lot of difference.

The atmosphere of the college is unbelievable. Everyone becomes so close; living, eating and learning together; but that's not to say there are times when you can get away from people. The beach is so close and it is beautiful and there are so many things to see and to do. Nearby sights of interest include Monaco, Nice, St Tropez and Grasse, and with a station within a ten minute walk it has meant that every weekend I've had opportunities to travel and explore the area. It's even easy to venture further, with many European countries a train ride away or a quick flight. The access to Europe has been so eye-opening, but it gives the college an edge as it attracts people of many different nationalities and backgrounds. There are people from America, China, England, Spain, Italy, Germany etc, and the mix of different culture and language is unmatchable. I now feel very well travelled, from meeting people from all over the globe.

On the socialising note, there is so much to do at the college and of course outside. The staff go out of their way to organise activities, with an office dedicated to meeting the wants and needs of the students. Whether it is riding, scuba diving or an excursion to a museum, the animations office was always packed with great ideas and helpful advice. At the college, there is a basketball court and a volley ball court, where there are always people wiling to play. However, this wasn't my forte and instead sought refuge playing the less active ping-pong and pool. The bar organised some great nights - with kareoke, crepe soirees, cheese and wine nights, ice-cream soirees etc - and they were always brilliant and the best way to meet new people. All in all it is impossible to be bored, and it was always more of a challenge to find free time as opposed to finding something to do. 

Anyway, I think that the best testimonial of my time at the college is in the fact that I'm actually extending my stay for a further 6 months and cannot wait to see what adventures the future has to hold."