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Than Nguyen, a 25 year old student at CFILC (French language school) |
What motivated you to come to Paris ?
I came to France to finish my studies. I chose this country because the studies there are less costly than in the United States for example, or in England. I receive a grant from the government every month, and I work also as a waiter in a café. In addition, I worked in some French companies in Vietnam and I loved the language. That gave me the desire to learn to speak French.
What do you think of the city?
I like this city a lot, even if it's cold there ... colder than Vietnam! (laughs) There are a lot of activities, especially during the summer and they are, for the most part, free. Paris-Plage, the open air movie theater …Unfortunately, it is very difficult to meet French people through these activities. It's because of this that I chose to become a member in the Club International des Jeunes à Paris (CIJP).
What does the club bring to you that you don't find elsewhere?
The CIJP is a world which connects people to each other; especially foreigners. The activities are organized to gather people and to allow exchange and discussion.
In which activities did you participate?
I mostly participated in the English-French conversation workshops. I also participated in certain visits to the districts and equally in the parties that presented the different countries. They are parties in which a member of the Club presents his country to the other participants. This is the occasion to discover and to learn more about the other cultures. I am also negotiating with Alaa (the person in charge of CIJP) in order to organize one about Vietnam. But I am waiting to find another person to do it with me.
How do the conversation workshops proceed?
We meet on the premises of the CIJP. Around a table, everyone writes a theme of an actual subject of which he would like to talk about, on a piece of paper. Everyone gathers, and a circulation of sorts allows us to determine which theme will be tackled.
What do you search for in these workshops?
It's a moment where we meet together to talk in another language. At the university, in a French class, I work a lot on grammar, vocabulary, spelling, but I do little oral practice. The Club brings me to the practice that which I don't in class. And for this, it's very informative.
How is the environment?
It's a friendly environment. The people there are very open, and have the craving to speak. It's easy to meet and talk with the other people. And thanks to that, I improve my French a lot. It's during these meetings that I make a lot of friends. But I feel closer to the foreigners than the French. I met my best friends there. One is Italian and the other is German.
Are there things that surprised or astonished you at the time of your arrival in Paris?
Yes, when I arrived in Paris, I was shocked by the people who were kissing in the streets. (laughs) In Vietnam, that doesn't happen. The worst was in the Pigalle section where all of the sex-shops are (laughs). It's truly surprising! Otherwise, certain people dress strangely; with all black clothing, black hair, pale skin, and full of piercings on their face…it's very strange. (laughs)
Do you have an advice for the future foreign students who will come to France?
I would say that the foreigners who come to France don't have to stay amongst each other. They don't have to be scared of meeting with the Europeans. There are a lot of things to learn and to discover and the CIJP is there for that.