Come like Suzette and share the everyday life of our French family. Treat yourself to a language stay with my family!
Pastry workshop – baking croissants with Arnold
Suzette’s Immersion Stay – from April 29 to May 5, 2024
Suzette’s testimonial:
I reached out to Hélène last year expressing my interest in her immersion program for reasons of wanting to better understand French culture. We exchanged messages since then and Hélène was always informative and warm in her response, offering alternatives to tailor activities based on my interests.
I stayed with Hélène and her family for one week. It was my first time in Lyon and I had been studying French for 4 years by then as an adult learner. Hélène and her family immediately made me feel welcomed. I was wanting an active trip and Hélène did not disappoint; nothing like biking around the city can make one feel like a local. Highlights were the croissant workshop (thanks Arnold!), excursions to Mont du Lyonnais, medieval city of Pérouges, the sights of Vieux Lyon, the history of the canuts and the history of Lyon during WWII (highly recommend the Centre d'Histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation).
Dinner times were an opportunity to experience Hélène's culinary acumen and how the family interacts with each other. Conversations were always amusing and lively with the younguns.
In terms of our classes, my comprehension level leaves a lot to be desired. The advice that I appreciated the most is to not discount listening to A1 level videos. This was a reminder to approach learning with humility. I had modest expectations for how much my French would improve at the end of the program being that it was only a week, however, surprisingly I found myself expressing myself more freely during and after the trip (even my French tutor noticed it). Hélène made the learning safe and fun, incorporating learning in real time outside of our classes (she coached me in real time how to purchase from a traiteur or ordering food by phone for example).
What was most inspiring and memorable about this experience above all is Hélène and Lolo's genuine curiosity about differences, the openness and understanding of shared humanity. It is something that one would just have to experience for oneself. Merci Hélène et la famille! bisous à mon Kiki 😘
Stroll through the Monts du Lyonnais with Suzette, Lolo and Kickass! :-)
Visit to the medieval village of Pérouges
Comments