People ask, “Why Bonjour LaForce? Why French?” The answer to the first question is a mystery. The answer to the second question is “ Why not?”
Have you ever wanted to travel to a far away place, but hesitated because you couldn’t speak the language? What if you could speak the language? Wouldn’t it be better, more interesting, and easier to get around?
I majored in French Language and Civilization at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. Learning and teaching always offered opportunities to me. When I started tour guiding in French, my French visitors were surprised to find an American who spoke French reasonably well. They called me a “Francophone speaker.” I felt welcomed into the fold of foreign language speakers.
As a tour guide, I learned to work with people who came from all over the world. As an anglophone, I made plenty of mistakes, but I shared great perspectives on this beautiful city called Washington, DC. It is the exchange, the connection that really matters. So, here is a website, blog, and podcast where you can learn and grow. Let yourself be inspired.
When you first start out, it is a little hard. But if you break it down and work at it bit by bit, you can learn the language. It can be fun, and it can be humbling. You have to take risks to learn a language - the risk of making a mistake, of appearing foolish - or you can be respected for trying.
Do you remember the first time you tried something new and was respected for trying? I remember the first time I wanted to learn French. My parents loved to travel and we were doing the first big trip to Europe. We didn’t have new cars or fancy clothes, but we had a trip at the end of summer and we went somewhere new. In Paris, we were trying to find the Musée de l’Orangerie, a famous place. We were lost in these big gardens in the middle of Paris called the Tuileries Gardens. Hot, thirsty, and tired, my father knew we would not last long. He sat us down on a bench in the cool shade and sought help. I watched as he politely approached a Frenchman, and spoke in his broken French and simplified English where to find the Musée de l’Orangerie. The Frenchman, at first, appeared puzzled. When he turned to look at us, he smiled. He spoke slowly, gesturing and pointing. Then my father and he smiled together. We went on to finish our day. I knew I loved two things - Paris and the French language - and my father, for his efforts. He was brave enough to risk it and try.
With my blog, podcasts, and courses, you can learn a language and, maybe you just might want to visit a country where people speak French.