I enrolled in a week-long French and Cooking course at L'Ecole des Trois Ponts, not knowing what to expect. It was a fabulous experience.
Because in was in the last (or maybe second-to-last) week of the season, we had a small session -- only ten students. I was the only American; the others were Austrian, Icelanders, English, Scottish, Australian, and Chinese.
The first day, everyone was tested for class placement. Not surprisingly, I was a total beginner. Since making the reservation, which includes an online test that I got a zero on, I had been using my Learn French in Your Car tapes and had managed a little vocabulary and conjugation of regular verbs. The instructor was very
...Read More
Because in was in the last (or maybe second-to-last) week of the season, we had a small session -- only ten students. I was the only American; the others were Austrian, Icelanders, English, Scottish, Australian, and Chinese.
The first day, everyone was tested for class placement. Not surprisingly, I was a total beginner. Since making the reservation, which includes an online test that I got a zero on, I had been using my Learn French in Your Car tapes and had managed a little vocabulary and conjugation of regular verbs. The instructor was very pleased to find that I was not a hopeless beginner. Three of us took morning classes together and were reasonable well-matched. Though I was still the weakest, I was determined to work hard and made real progress in a week's time.
The real improvement to my spoken French came at mealtime, when we spoke only French. In a congenial atmosphere, with plenty of encouragement from the staff and better speakers (and wine), I could not stand to sit and not speak, so I jumped into attempting French conversation. By the end of the week, I was able to have animated political discussions with my new friends.
I also took the cooking classes on four afternoons. It was a very hands-on style where the chef presented the menu, and we all worked on putting it together for the next couple of hours. At the end of class, we ate our creation. I appreciated the exposure to French cuisine techniques and still use some of the recipes, but again, the real joy for me was in the group interaction. It was a fun bunch in the cooking classes (six of the ten), and I enjoyed the chopping and chatting as much as the food itself.
Read Less