I would like to go on a Summer Exchange to France.......?

Question

I would really love to go to france over the summer for a few weeks on an exchange.

so if i have only had 2 years of french would i be okay?

have you ever gone on an exchange or have any other info?.....

thx!

Answer 1

I was part of a summer exchange program two years ago and one of our sister cities is in France (Beaulieu sur Mer). Though I went to Ireland for the summer, my two best friends went to France and they didn't speak a word of French! Actually, none of the four who went spoke anything besides a little bit of Spanish. They were all fine because most of the people speak English there...at least a little bit (I just went there this summer for a few weeks and didn't run into any problems regarding communication). We also met people through the exchange that knew French and English fluently and helped us with communication when we had a problem. Have fun in whatever you do!

Answer 2

I am French and went on a summer exchange program in California when I was 14 (a long time ago!). I would recommend it. Go with a reputable, long-established organization so they screen host families well and deal with insurance, the organization of your trip, etc. Here is one: http://www.chinet.org/travelabroad/

As for the language, they will interview you to make sure you are a good candidate ( = meaning you can easily adapt to strange environments, language is secondary). Most programs do not require perfect proficiency in French as some students go there to learn. I think with 2 years of French if you have a decent level and show that you are motivated you should be able to find a good program for you, either with this agency or another one.

When I went I had 4 years of English and my level was good. However I had a hard time understanding anything the first couple of days because my ear was accustomed to British English. It just took a few days to switch to American English mode. You'll improve your French very quickly once you're there if you choose a full immersion program.