Review: Cliff

I don’t have much to say, because everything that’s been said already by Chantal’s other students is absolutely accurate. I’m just here to affirm it’s all true! I had a similar terrific time, and experienced all the same aspects of the immersion as did my predecessors. It was a fun and rewarding experience.I would like to really emphasize one point, though. Chantal is an excellent teacher. I speak French at the most basic level, and by nature I’m pretty shy and introverted. This class was something of a challenge I gave myself, way outside my usual comfort zone. Chantal was just great about knowing how far to push me and when. She was charming but instructive; technical but comforting. And when she wasn’t engaged in formal “instruction,” whiteboard included, all the other activities described by her other students allow for opportunities to speak and for further, less formal instruction. So in our visits to Beauvais and Chantilly, and in our walks in the fields, we talked and I learned a little more.I feel comfortable saying that my French improved enough to leave no doubt that it was a worthwhile experience, if not just for that primary purpose. My understanding of grammar improved; my comprehension improved; my accent improved; and my vocabulary improved. Not so much that I don’t still freak out the instant a Parisian starts jabbering away, but enough that it all feels like it’s coming together more easily; I hear the language better and I can express myself better. It’s a great foundation to build upon.And yes, the rest– the family (Stephane, Liliane, Loulou and Grignote), the food, the wine, the extracurricular activities –all enhance the experience. It was a week very well spent, and I look forward to doing it again someday.