How Learning French Improved My Life Tenfold

Jalen’s French-Language Journey

2014 was a big year for me. I was a senior in high school, it’s the year that I started dating Maria, and naturally, it’s the year that she introduced me to the French language. Before we’d met, I’d dragged my heels through three years of Spanish, one year of Latin, and two years of German with absolutely nothing to show for it. For whatever reason, I hadn’t given the French language a chance, but, in the end, it didn’t matter much. Maria quickly helped me realize that having the ability to speak a foreign language was not only important and useful, but extremely cool and intriguing. Her well-established French skills and my desire to impress her became my motivations.

Shortly after we began spending time together, I decided that I, too, would learn to speak French. Because of my all-or-nothing personality, I had no choice but to learn anything and everything I could about French language and culture. I shared my new aspirations with Maria, and she was supportive from the start. My journey began in December of 2014. At this point, my French skills were non-existent, but I immediately got to work. Listening to podcasts, watching YouTube videos, writing journals, and chatting with people online were only some of the things I did along the way to fast track my language skills. Little by little, French became increasingly important to me. Becoming fluent practically became an obsession and I made it my goal to study the language in college the following year. As time went on, I studied French for hours every day. I studied French in other classes, I studied French before sporting events, and I studied French at home. It was a non-stop affair.

When the summer of 2015 rolled around, I had applied and been accepted to college, graduated from high school, and was finally getting ready to start my four-year stay at a nearby university. When the time came to take college course placement tests, the perfectionist in me aspired to place into the 300-level French classes right away. After getting my results back, I had not quite reached my lofty goal. I was, however, ecstatic to have placed into French 202, the last intermediate French class that would allow me to take advanced-level courses in French such as literature, cinema, and culture. The results of the placement exam demonstrated that I was making great progress. With only an eight-month, informal, self-directed study program under my belt and my anglophone, high-school girlfriend as my teacher, my French wasn’t too shabby.

Upon taking French 202, my first French class at the university level, I realized that the foundational French I learned was essential for me. I found that although my self-directed study program had gotten me this far, it had also left me with gaps in my knowledge. I knew when to use and how to conjugate the subjunctive form of verbs but didn’t know how to say fourchette. By the end of the class, I had filled these gaps and formed new skills, including reading longer texts, writing short essays, giving presentations, and debating. I was finally ready to move on to the more advanced classes that I’d wanted to take all along.

University continued and so did my enrollment in French courses. I was taking at least one and as many as three French classes per semester. The classes were even more satisfying because I was finally able to enroll in the same classes as Maria. The number of French classes that could fit into my schedule varied depending on what classes were available for my major, International Affairs. As Maria and I had decided to minor in French, we had to prioritize the completion of our major. One day, however, our French professor pulled us into his office to talk to us about declaring French majors. We were reluctant at first, unsure of whether we’d have the time to be double majors and graduate in four years. Fortunately, after crunching some numbers, we were convinced at that moment to declare French as our second major.

Many doors opened as a result of this decision. It was no small commitment, but it was definitely worth it in the end. Being a French major at the University of Mary Washington granted access to new scholarship money, class options, and opportunities to go abroad. I was able to secure a hefty scholarship, participate in an individual study, visit Québec, and more all thanks to the French department. Even today, doors have not stopped opening! My French major allowed me to apply confidently to and participate in the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF), a program that allows Americans a to work in France for an academic year with an English-teaching job that pays a salary! Additionally, I was able to secure the highest possible certification in the French language by sitting for the DALF C2 in June 2019.

Beginning in 2020, I pursued my master’s degree in France in Logistics and Supply Chain Management at the Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne. I took a number of interesting courses, completed an internship and an alternance, and graduated with honors. Being a graduate student in France was a demanding experience, and I am proud to have earned my degree.

Most recently, I began my full-time job in France where I work a Logistics role in the Agri-food sector. I love that my position allows me to couple my academic passions with my personal interests, and I’m endeavoring to learn as much as I can as I start my career abroad.

In sum, my journey with French is ever-evolving. It began as a slowly-developing, self-serving enterprise and has developed over the years into a fast-paced joint effort. I know that my journey will continue far into the future and will develop in new and exciting ways. In any case, all the updates and changes will be documented here, so stick around. If you’re on a journey to French fluency or have questions about my experience, let us know!

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