14.39 - Help, I'm losing my French!
This FREE le Bulletin->Advice to a friend about losing her French->A painless guide to 'French White Wine' & how to know what you'll love->Exploring the French political system->Diana Rowden, SOE +
Bonjour friends… I’m thrilled that you’re here again this week - bienvenue !
If you feel you could/should re-energise your French language skills, this newsletter is for you… Please let me know if this is useful to you.
→And please help me welcome Hugh Vuiller as a Contributor to MyFrenchLife Magazine. His first charter is to help us explore and better understand the French Political System in a three-part mini-series. I’ve had many enquiries since the recent election and the delay in the announcement of the PM, hence Hugh joining the team… Read his first article and see if it helps you understand the system behind those delays. You’ll find it below, at the base of this newsletter. Also, Hugh is encouraging you to ask him questions. The more the better :)
If you enjoy this edition, please note that there is another entirely different version of le bulletin for paying subscribers, and today it's ‘14.39.a - Where to eat in Paris: Top 10 favourites loved by locals’- Look for it in your inbox where you can access a preview or upgrade to enjoy it in full!
Judy - 5.10.’24
1. “Help, I’m losing my French!” said Beatrice
Last week in le Bulletin I discussed “The Importance of Becoming Fluent in French: life, language and love” with a special focus on assimilation. I introduced women who had all moved to France and created enviable French lives. I focused on the importance of the French language and then I focused on their lives. We can all learn lessons from their approach and how they faced their challenges.
As I was writing that newsletter, I received a call for help from Beatrice, a good friend, last week… and I knew what she meant, immediately. It’s not easy to keep French in your life, it takes a plan and a concentrated effort. Anyone who’s studied a second language knows all about plateaux and how frustrating they can be... There are breakthrough methods for times like these as you’ll see.
But, what to do if you feel your French language skills are going backward? That’s the question she posed.
My advice for her was to pause and rethink and prepare a fresh plan to inject positive energy into her “French learning life”
A two-step process:
a) Invest time in herself, her life, and her French learning practice.
Perform a mini-self review - Think about when:
you’ve been the happiest in your “French life”, which part of your journey have you enjoyed most?
when and where were you feeling the most confident?
make a note of your French language strengths and weaknesses
make a note of your personal interests and passions when living in your native language, then try to think about how to incorporate those into your French life.
Then I suggested… Now that you have this recorded put it aside as a prompt.
The best way to learn a language is when you incorporate it fully into your life… when you’re listening, or talking about things that interest you most: philosophy, sport, fashion, travel, history - whatever it is.
b) Next find a French learning approach and a plan that suits you perfectly, or one that you can personalise, so you can OWN it.
At MyFrenchLife Magazine we’ve had the benefit of input, thoughts, experiences, and opinions on this subject from many people learning French… from those who are frustrated… to those who’ve mastered their challenge - such a diverse lot. We’ve pooled these opinions and tips and created a “Breakthrough method”. We then shared this method with all those people and asked their opinion. We received huge support from them and many have now used this method.
Importantly, this is a Breakthrough method designed to be personalised!
What did I recommend to my friend?
This.
This is the method I recommended and we’ll leave it to you to make it your own! And we’re giving it to you for free! Enjoy.
My friend Beatrice adopted our program - even though she’s an advanced French language student (or was), she felt that our program was flexible enough for her to adapt.
Next, she pulled out her French review of skills, weaknesses, interests, and passions et al that she’d prepared in Step a) above… and next she,
adapted our Breakthrough Method program to make it hers!
I was relieved and thrilled by her positive reaction to what we’d created!
I now have the pleasure of introducing this “Breakthrough Method” French language program to you
The nine parts take you from
”Frustration”
to
“Building and Maintaining your advanced French skills”.
[Please resist the temptation of jumping ahead to Part 9…
It’s important to work your way through
to effectively re-energise your French life!]
You CAN learn French this time: a breakthrough method to personalise – introduction
Each section is linked below:
→The intermediate French learning plateau and how to overcome it – part 4
→How to maintain and build your advanced French skills – part 9
So many people have successfully created their own fascinating “French Life”, and have done so by working out how to master the French language and how to naturally incorporate it into their lives using their skills and passions!
Without the French language, it is not possible to assimilate.
Without the French language, it is impossible to experience or understand the French people, their country and/or history.
Without mastering the French language you’ll permanently remain an outsider.
I have a question for you:
Who do you look up to, who do you know and respect that has
Mastered the French language?
I’d love it if you’d share with me below-
Merci
Judy
2. New articles in My FrenchLife Magazine — Let’s explore & read…
Did you know there are >3000 articles in MyFrenchLife Magazine, where savvy francophiles love to immerse themselves and indulge?
Here are the most recently published articles:
Reportage and Société:
1.→ French Political System Exploration: How & why it's different to the United States of America←
by Hugh Vuiller←
Exploring the French Political System: The long delay seen in France was not a failure. It was just how the French system was designed to work in uncertain situations. It doesn’t just allow the President to govern—it practically demands it.”
[***NB: Please help me welcome Hugh Vuiller as a Contributor. His first charter is to help us explore and better understand the French Political System in a three-part mini-series. I’ve had many enquiries since the recent election and the delay in the announcement of the PM… Read his first article and see if it helps you understand the system behind those delays.Also, Hugh is encouraging you to ask him questions. The more the better :)
Judy]
Vie Française:
2.→ Female Agents Behind Enemy Lines: Diana Rowden - Part 5
by Kathryn Gauci←
Diana Hope Rowden had a privileged background. Born in London in 1915 she spent her early years at Cap Ferrat and the Italian Riviera where her mother rented a villa and yacht. Coincidentally, the yacht was named the Fearless One, it was a name that would later describe Diana perfectly. After boarding school in England, she returned to France with her mother, embarking on a career in journalism at the Sorbonne.”
Gastronomie:
3.→ A (Painless) Beginner's Guide to Uncorking French Wine: How to Find French (White) Wines You'll Like - Part 4←
by Karen Bussen←
How to understand what you enjoy in terms of French White Wine and key tips to make choosing painless! Since France is home to hundreds of appellations & thousands of producers, choosing can be daunting.
↓ CLICK IMAGE & read all the new articles on MyFrenchLife Magazine ↓
3. Follow us on Instagram → @MaVieFrançaise
Each day, each week offers something fresh!
Bursting with news, views and articles, video chats, poetry, introductions to new magazine contributors… and more… follow us and join in @maviefrancaise … See you there soon, I hope.
Jennifer’s popular regular Pilgrimage Report:
The only constant at the moment is the weekly post by Jennifer Andrewes on her solo pilgrimage - Via Francigena - to Rome: 2500km watch out for it…
Here Jennifer is, after 88 days…
Having crossed northern France, then the St Bernard Pass, (the third highest) from Switzerland to Italy, then to Lucca for a rest day today, then, onward toward Roma. You can read the details in her weekly guest post on our Instagram account @maviefrancaise
A total of ~1948km so far!
Do you have any questions for Jennifer Andrewes?
Image credit: Copyright Jennifer Andrewes ( bottom left )
4. “Thank you for subscribing to ‘le Bulletin’ newsletter” Judy MacMahon
I hope to see you here again soon
Judy MacMahon
Fondatrice
MyFrenchLife.org
You can always email me at info@myfrenchlife.org
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How's your French? Have you experienced similiar frustration as Beatrice?