Parisian Work Experience
A Level linguists immersed themselves in Paris life over half term, taking on work placements and improving their language skills on a French exchange.
Elena and Eliza report back on their experience:
‘We set off on the Eurostar, giddy with the prospect of exploring a new city. At Gare du Nord, we had just enough time to quell our nerves with a crêpe before meeting our exchanges. Our angst was unwarranted, however, and we spent the evening settling in and absorbing the French mode de vie with our host families.
The next morning, we reunited in the main square of the Lycée Henri IV, a beautiful school in the heart of the Latin Quarter. After a morning of sitting in on French lessons, we ate more crêpes on the steps of the Pantheon and spent the afternoon sightseeing. Later, we reconvened at the house of one of our exchanges for an evening of French music and getting to know each other.
On Monday morning, we navigated the metro to our respective work placements which included bookshops, restaurants, art galleries and pharmacies. Having to interact spontaneously improved our spoken French and our confidence in communicating. During our one hour lunch breaks, we would wander around our local quartier, discovering all that it had to offer. Some of us were even lucky enough to pop into the Louvre, Sainte Chappelle and sample the selection of local cafés. Two of us worked in a restaurant called Le 6 New York, where we gained valuable insight into the management of a professional kitchen, meal preparation and table service.
On Tuesday evening, at the Comédie Française, we saw La Puce à l’Oreille, a farce about two couples and the drama that ensues after one of the wives tests her husband’s loyalty with an anonymous letter. The rest of the week included a group dinner (with snails) in the Marais, the Places des Vosges, the Degas exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay, the sparkling Eiffel Tower and a walk along the Seine, where we were overawed with the sight of Paris at night.
On Friday night, we gathered at an apartment that overlooked all of Paris. There we shared our new favourite French artists (the collective one was Angèle), reluctant to return to London the next morning and leave behind the city we had fallen in love with.
Overall, the trip was a fantastic experience that we will always remember. It taught us resilience, as we were outside of our comfort zone, in a foreign city, speaking a foreign language. The work experience equipped us with practical skills about how to act in a work environment. Above all, we gained an independence which will stay with us for a lifetime.’