Functionally Bilingual
Genre: NEWS
(Click on photos to enlarge)
Thirteen GVC Senior French students embarked on an adventure
after years of being sheltered in Winkler. Leaving behind their
family, friends, culture, and language, on February 28th they
traveled to St-Georges-de-Beauce, Quebec.
The trip was packed with activities like skiing, shopping,
an IMAX movie, and tobogganing. But what students from GVC will
remember most about the exchange this year aren't the activities,
it's the experience. The students were exposed to a whole new
culture and language. They were guided through museums, churches,
and the Chateau Frontenac all to get a feel for Quebec and its
culture.
What hit them the most weren't the tours or group activities,
it was the "exchange" aspect of the trip. "The
first few days were really awkward," says GVC exchange-student
Julia Klassen. "You're with a whole new family."
The exchange students were brought into the homes of people they'd
never talked to or seen before. "Having them go into
somebody's home and become part of the family really teaches
you a lot about the culture that you aren't going to learn from
any tour that you might take," GVC French teacher Lori
Neufeld relates.
They quickly began to pick up on how people in Quebec act
and speak. "It's a lot easier when you have real people
to talk to," says Neufeld. However, Klassen found it
a lot more difficult than the classroom. "Not being able
to understand anything around me drove me absolutely crazy. Just
how fast they spoke and not being able to communicate properly
with them." The experience allowed students the incentive,
and opportunity to speak French to real Francophones. "Once
I was out in Quebec I definitely realized I needed to do something
if I was going to survive. I realized I needed to start speaking
French," says Klassen.
As the group grew and evolved in their language ability they
quickly learned that it's okay to make mistakes. But most of
all, as Neufeld puts it, "they found out that they can
communicate to French speakers and that they are functionally
bilingual."
The trip to Quebec proved to be an eye-opening, worthwhile
experience for all GVC exchange students. "It definitely
opened my eyes to how cultures are different in different areas
and how sheltered we are in Winkler," Klassen remarks.
"I had new experiences I never would have had otherwise."
The second part of the exchange will take place April 2nd
through 8th, as the students from the Polyvalente Saint-Georges
travel to Winkler.
Visit the GVC
French exchange website
CRITIQUES OF ARTICLE BY
PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS
- I found some key information
was missing from this piece: I would have liked to have known
how long the students were in Quebec, and I don't know what
GVC is (a high school?). I'm guessing that Polyvalente Saint-Georges
is a Quebec high school. I also would have liked more information
on Winkler. Just telling me that the 13 students spent "years
sheltered there" makes it sound like it's a monastary or
something! Is Winkler very isolated?
- The only weakness here is that you take too long to get into
the story -- we call it circling the airport. But the story itself
is well told with very good use of quotations.
- Interesting story! Well written, concise, providing a lot
of information and good quotes. Well done!
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