In the fall of 2023, I was heartbroken. I had just returned to the United States after two months in France. I spent the summer interning with a mission organization abroad and fell in love with the country in the … Continue reading
learning French
Raising Children — Bilingually? Part 2
Note from the editor: If you haven’t already, be sure to read Raising Children — Bilingually? Part 1 before jumping into Part 2. — MS Bilingual Native-Language Acquisition Children who are brought up bilingually will acquire two native languages according … Continue reading
Raising Children — Bilingually? Part 1
Language choices in a mixed native-language family or one whose native language(s) is not that of the majority culture surrounding them New country, new language, and maybe new family? Language, then, becomes an important issue. When two people get … Continue reading
My First Three Months in France
This is part of a series of articles about the final days of preparing for moving to France and what happens when you get here, and those articles are part of a promotional series launching our new book, 29 Days … Continue reading
How to Get a Long-Stay Visa for France Through French Lessons
While it would be nice if Americans were able to live in Europe visa-free, it’s not the case (one can dream that it will be someday, right?). If you’re from the US and want to live in a country like … Continue reading
Why Study Abroad in Paris?
My first visit to France was with my family when I was thirteen. We were the classic sweaty tourists in late-July Paris, dragging ourselves from monument to museum. But I loved old buildings, narrow streets, and outdoor cafés — everything … Continue reading
The Myth of “Fluency”
Americans abroad sometimes beat ourselves up — often on behalf of our fellow countrymen — other times because of our own perceived shortcomings. One of these is the famous lie: “Well everyone in Europe speaks at least 2-3 languages fluently.” … Continue reading