Alasdair’s journey in France as a TY student
Salut! My name is Alasdair and I’m 15 years old from Dublin, Ireland. I’m currently on a 7 week exchange in Montèlimar, in the South of France. I always enjoyed languages in school and study both Spanish and French. I decided that studying with Tribe in France would be a once in a life time opportunity to help me mature and to improve my French. I flew from Dublin to Paris and the chaperone took us to the TGV train which brought us directly to Valence where my host family was waiting to greet me. The first few hours was very surreal and tough, but I settled in so quickly thanks to my amazing host family!
My Experience In French School
Tribes had assured us that the school I was attending was a top school and they were correct! The first thing I spotted in the school was the Irish flags, which made me feel so at home. All the staff in the school were so kind and accommodating and really made the extra effort to make sure I got the most out of the trip. As well as that all the students were really kind and made sure I was happy at all times. School in France is very different, for example I started at 8 and some times didn’t finish until 5. However the longer lunch break made up for it and allowed me to play billiards with the local French kids. My favourite thing about French school is the food! Every day we were served a lovely hot meal. School took a lot out of me but within a few days, I could already feel my confidence growing and my conversations became a lot fluid. The teachers always had worksheets for us, so I was always doing something to help improve my French and never felt like I was wasting time.
My Host Family
My host family were so kind and always there for me. They made sure I was fully immersed in French culture, for example I got to try the Gallette des Rois, a traditional French cake! I played board games and watched movies with them and every weekend they brought me out to see the local area. My host family really made the whole trip, they were so kind and engaging and I really felt like I was part of the family. I felt so at home when I was with them and never felt awkward or scared when I was around them.
At the moment I am 3 weeks into my trip and the time has flown. I will never forget this once in a life time experience. My French has improved substantially, but I have also met so many new people and my confidence has grown. I have met so many amazing friends and I have developed an amazing bond with my host family. I’ve really enjoyed my first 3 weeks and I can’t wait to spend another month here! I would really recommend Tribe for a programme like this, it has been an amazing experience in so many ways and I’m so grateful to get this experience. There are so many amazing benefits to doing a programme like this and I would urge everyone to do it if they get the chance!