When I told friends and family that I was going to spend a week in an immersion program in France with a French teacher and her family, many asked if I wasn’t afraid to stay with someone I didn’t know. I told them that only someone with a warm and generous heart would choose to open her home and share her life and family with students from around the globe. I was not mistaken. Eliane is kind and welcoming and immediately put me at ease even though I am not confident speaking French.
My goal was to spend the week practicing conversation, and that is how we passed the time. We spent long mornings at the table sharing stories over coffee and croissants, and some days we continued our conversations while walking along the Canal du Midi or a nearby lake. As the week went on, speaking French became easier, and I was pleased to find that I understood everything.
Practicing your French language skills in a home stay in France is truly the best way to improve! My only regret is that I only spent a week- the time passed too quickly!
I enjoyed getting to know Eliane‘s family: her partner Benjamin who was so welcoming , her brother-in-law William who was so kind to give me rides, adorable Elena who was always content, and Okami- the dog, who would gaze at me with hopeful eyes during each meal.
The meals were delicious and the conversation flowed easily. Eliane is skilled at asking questions and sharing stories about her life. She also took the time to get me to and from the airport, and often would drop me off in Carcassonne in the afternoons during my free time.
I loved exploring Carcassonne on my own, both La Bastide with its shops, cafés, art museum, and cathedral and especially La Cité Médiévale with it’s winding streets and amazing château and ramparts. I enjoyed shopping in the boutiques and eating ice cream there on more than one occasion!
I had an excursion with Eliane to the Château where she explained everything like an expert guide. I also enjoyed a winery tour and tasting with her which was a pleasant evening full of laughter.
The student apartment was spacious and each evening I was very comfortable there in my home away from home.
Overall, it was a wonderful experience that I would definitely recommend. I am very grateful to Eliane and her family for sharing their life with me for the week in such a welcoming manner, and I appreciate Eliane for helping me gain confidence speaking French.
Merci mille fois!!