Language Assistant Testimonial: ASHLEIGH WHITTAKER

(Photo taken in Rome, Italy)

Nationality: Jamaican

Country in which you worked as a Language Assistant/Teacher (Please note city as well):- Lyon, France How The Program Helped Your Language Development:

Moving to France made a huge difference in how I saw the French language. Sitting in classes learning grammar for years made me feel like I'd never fully "get it" and I lost confidence as the semesters went by.

Being in the country and knowing that I had to step up and communicate was a bit scary at first, but then it got better over time. I can definitely say that my listening skills improved tremendously and once that happened, it felt like the the other elements would come together too. With that said, I found that during my travels to other countries that speak other languages, I was able to pick up on certain words that were similar to French (or sometimes English) which made it easier to understand the directions I needed to get around.

Also, it was interesting to learn how native speakers actually communicate on a daily basis. Being able to drop those little words and sayings that they used in my own sentences felt amazing! All in all a great experience for me.

Any other comments?:

I would recommend that anyone trying to learn a language make the effort to visit a country where that language is spoken, even for a short time. I went to France two years in a row and made some really great friends and had some really great experiences. No regrets at all. Current Country of Residence:

Jamaica

Want to share your travel/ immersion story? Send an email to fluentry.ca@gmail.comanswering the questions above and attaching your most memorable travel photo. You will be feautred on our website and on our Instagram's #TestimonialTuesday.