It's not a very well known smaller size city (it's still the 8th largest city in France!) ; nevertheless it's historically known as a student-friendly city and was a medieval trading city. It's also a popular summer time destination as well because of its easy access from Paris and also it's fairly close to the beach.
毎日毎日フランス語漬けであまり更新ができていませんが、現在南フランスのモンペリエの語学学校に通いながらホームステイをしています。ジュネーブもフランス語が公式公用語なのでもちろんフランス語学校はたくさんあるのですが、まず値段がバカ高い上ジュネーブにいるとついつい英語を使ってしまうので、完全にフランス語の環境に行きたかったんです。パリやリオンなどの大都市だと英語を話す人も多く、必ず英語に頼ってしまうことは目に見えていたのであえてあまり英語が喋る人がいなくて小さめの町を選びました。小さめ、といってもモンペリエはフランスで8番目に大きい中都市なんですけどね。中世期は貿易が栄え、薬剤学校はフランス有数の名門。大学も多く、学生街として人気が高い町。
現在の語学学校ではホストファミリーと住めるという所も魅力でした 50代夫婦のブリジットとアンドリューのお宅に居候させてもらっています。実はアンドリューはイギリス人なのですが、15年前にフランス人のブリジットと再婚し、それ以来フランスに住んでいるのでフランス語は流暢。しかも家ではフランス語以外の言葉は禁止されているので、英語が母語の私とアンドリューの会話も９９％フランス語（時々重要事項を話すときだけ英語を話すこともあるけど稀）。
I'm sure people will ask me why I decided to go study in Montpellier. One would think Paris or somewhere close along the border like Annecy would be a better choice. Of course I've considered dozens of school but the reason of my decision was quite simple: I wanted to be as far away from English speaking people. I also wanted to do a complete immersion living with a host family.
And lastly and most importantly... TV! I religiously watch a French travel show called "Les Échappée Belles" and they happened to do a program on Montpellier one week and they had a segment about a student studying in the city. I don't know what clicked in my mind but I instantly wanted to go to this school. And so the decision was made. And I'm 100% sure that I've made the right choice. First of all, the school is a perfect fit. The teachers and students are laid back but at the same time, they the quality of teaching is condensed and superb. Even going to school for one week is probably worth about going to a month of a regular language school that you'd go few times a week. Considering that I'm in school on average 4.5 hours per day, it's such a great deal in terms of tuition as well.
My host family is superb. I live with a couple in their 50s. My host mom is a native of the area and is an instructor, hence she is has an excellent way of teaching me French. I learn so much from her; possibly even more from school and she's been so cooperative with my studies and my passion to learn the language. The host father is actually English; but he's been living in France for about 15 years and speaks superb French. As English is completely banned in the household, we talk 100% in French, even when the host mom is not around, we've never spoken more than a few words in English.
ヨーロッパにきてから小麦粉が体に合わないと発覚し、申込書に一応記入したところブリジットと巡り合わせていただきました。ブリジットは加工食品などは殆 ど使わずおまけにアンドリューはベジタリアンなので食材にはすごーく気を遣っています。なのであたしの体質もよく理解してくれていてご飯やジャガイモで代 用した料理を良く作ってくれています。そしてなんといっても食事がおいしすぎる！おまけに毎晩フランス語を手伝ってくれたり相談に乗ってくれたり、本当に よいホストファミリーに恵まれました。残すところあと一ヶ月、頑張ります！
And most importantly, my host mom's cooking. Prior to choosing a host family, I had indicated that I can't eat that much gluten (I'm not allergic but since I've eaten rice most of my life, eating baguette 3 times a day will make me sick) and my host mom is very cooperative of this. On top of it, my host dad is vegetarian so we eat mostly vegetables; over half of which are organic. We never eat processed food so the ingredients are fresh and very simple. And I love it. I must've gained at least 4 pounds since I've arrived here!
 |
| Homemade rose jam with roses from host mom's garden and host grandma's backyard 手作りの薔薇のジャム。これがまたおいしい！ |
 |
| Wild plums from the mountains ブリジットのお母様のお庭から取れた杏子の一種 |
 |
| Drying rosemary from the garden お庭で取れたローズマリー乾燥中 |
 |
| Fresh almonds from the tree of my host-grandma! ブリジットの実家から取れたというアーモンド！生のアーモンドはしっとりしていておいしいんですよー |
No comments:
Post a Comment