Language (and Culture) Immersion
Many people who are learning a language confine themselves to books and structured classes, and books are a good way to learn a little bit about a country. The success of many books on travel and on regional histories – for example, the fascinating stories of the châteaux in the Loire region – shows that people have a real yearning to immerse themselves in another world through literature. To learn a second language, as well, most people tend to turn to textbooks, dictionaries and grammar guides.
Studying/Working Abroad?
However, people who use only books in order to learn languages, or to discover more about historical regions such as the Loire valley, are missing out. Even Flaubert can't teach you quite as much about the French as the French can themselves! Experiencing France is quite different to reading about it, and most language teachers will recommend that students spend at least a short time in the country whose language they are learning. Some students go one better, though, and spend an extended amount of time in the destination country.
The Options
For a long time, a long stay in the destination country was impossible for many language students, but with EU laws allowing free travel between member states, and a number of schemes in place for those students who come from outside the EU, it is easy to spend time in a French language school or working in a French place of business. French courses in France are one of the most exiting ways to learn the French language along with the French culture, history and natural environment.
However, structured language courses are not the only way to experience France. The Loire valley is famed for its wine as well as its history, and it's not unusual for students to spend summers there, not just drinking the wine(!), but also paying for their stay by harvesting the grapes. The 'woofing' network has provided many students, and others who are interested in travelling while improving their French, with the opportunity to get free accommodation by doing a little out-of-doors work on the farms and vineyards of the region.
And for EU nationals, the Leonardo da Vinci scheme, and European Voluntary Scheme (EVS), both allow for internships in various fields while staying in free accommodation, so you can gain work experience while improving your language skills.
The Benefits
After all, what is studying in a dusty room compared with strolling through a beautiful field or château, with French being spoken all around you? And what classroom role-play can quite simulate the urgency of having to talk French to a farmer, château ticket person, or bartender who speaks nothing but his or her native language? Studying remotely, you can get grammar near-perfect and memorise vocabulary intensively, but for true fluency, a stay abroad is essential.
The history of a region may be easily accessible through books and online, but for the anecdotes and personalities that make up the true France, a trip abroad is the only way to go. Have fun!