It seems like the European Day of Languages was only yesterday and yet here we are, with our undergraduate teaching just having finished and our students and staff involved in oral assessments and final pieces of coursework. Many of our Year 3 students are getting themselves ready for a semester on Study Abroad in the spring and, for everyone else, it’ll be back to Stirling where we’ve got new modules launching and lots of exciting outreach work being undertaken by our Language Ambassadors.
There’s plenty to update you on and we’ll hopefully get a few blog posts up over the coming days. However, one thing we’ve been particularly pleased about this semester is that we’ve seen the return of former students who have decided to come back to Stirling, in one guise or another, and whose experiences give a great sense of the range of routes that studying a language opens up.
To start off the updates, we were really glad to hear from Erin, who graduated in June with a BA Hons in French and, in September, started our MSc programme in International Conflict and Cooperation, building on the dissertation she wrote on Islamophobia in contemporary French society: “In the beginning it was quite daunting and just a lot of work, almost everyone else came from a politics background and I was having a bit of an identity crisis thinking ‘well, I can speak another language’. After a couple of weeks, I relaxed into being an International Relations student and managed to impress one of my tutors by being able to speak French in order to analyse a speech by President Macron (that we happened to have studied in our French classes…). Despite the mountain of readings I am buried under now, I am enjoying myself.
As part of this Masters I have signed up to go on a study trip to Geneva in May 2024, the aim of which is to secure work opportunities and connections in UN organisations in Switzerland. I have already volunteered to act as translator for the class because I’m the only francophone in our class. Hopefully, it will provide an opportunity to practice my French – I have been reassured by Brigitte that the Swiss sometimes speak slower, which is a relief since I haven’t been able to practice all that much since graduation.
While it is sometimes strange to be back at Stirling in a new department, and not see the faces I became used to, it is nice to catch up every once in a while with the members of the French department in the corridors of Cottrell building which I am convinced is a maze. This is my fifth year here and I still get lost!”
We’re delighted to see Erin back on campus and grateful that she made the time to send us through this update. We’ll look forward to hearing how the Geneva trip goes in the spring, too. More news about other Stirling returnees, and other assorted updates, to follow…
It’s a sunny Friday afternoon and we’re edging closer and closer to the summer which seems like a good time to introduce you to another of our undergraduate students. Many of our students in French at Stirling join us having studied French until the end of their secondary school studies but we also welcome students onto our Beginners’ stream every year, students who have either never studied any French before or who have perhaps done 1 or 2 years but who usually haven’t studied it for a few years at least. For these students, the first two semesters focus on intensive language learning (alongside whatever other subjects they are studying), then in 3rd semester they begin to study French and Francophone cultures while continuing to build their language skills and confidence, and they merge with our Advanced stream from Semester 4 onwards. Today’s post is by Valeriia who has just finished the first 2 semesters in our Beginners’ stream:
“Bonjour tout le monde! My name is Valeriia, and I just completed my first year at the University of Stirling. I’m pursuing a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in International Management Studies with European Languages and Society. Let me tell you, choosing this programme has been the best decision of my life. In my 20 years, I have experienced many changes, just like everyone else. Among these changes, foreign languages have played a significant role. I first discovered French when I was in 5th grade. It caught the attention of my teachers, who noticed my interest in French culture and recommended that I start learning the language. Subsequently, I enrolled in an academic lyceum where I delved deep into English and French, participating in various Olympiads and scientific competitions throughout Ukraine. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, and I thought nothing could disrupt this harmony. However, German unexpectedly entered my life, diverting all my efforts and time to this new language. Consequently, I began to forget French since, as they say, “if you don’t use it, you lose it.”
In 2022, I made the decision to study at a university in Scotland. I had no doubt that Stirling was the perfect choice for me. When I discovered that the university offered the opportunity to study French and even spend a semester in a French-speaking country, I felt a rush of excitement. I once again fell in love with the French language, even after a long break. The native French-speaking teachers provide incredible assistance and support, whilst the university campus and the entire community continuously inspire and motivate me to strive for new knowledge. It’s almost like having a piece of France in Scotland. I’m extremely glad that the University of Stirling offers language learning opportunities for beginners, those looking to refresh their skills, and those who already have a strong foundation. But is there a limit? Personally, I strongly believe that perfection knows no bounds.
You know, they say that knowing at least one foreign language becomes second nature. If you were to ask me what the nature of the French language is, I would tell you that it varies for everyone. For some, it’s the language of love, for others, it’s the world of cinema, and for some, it’s the pages of timeless French classics or the pleasure of gastronomy. For me, it encompasses all of these aspects. In a nutshell, it is life itself. You come to realise that a foreign language is so is so intricately woven into your life that it becomes a part of who you are. So, French is a part of me.
Through personal experience, I have come to understand that even when life takes unexpected turns, it is important to hold onto what you love and what gives you strength. I look forward to the upcoming years as a student and rejoice in my progress and the progress of my ‘camarades’. We, like all students, have a lot of work ahead of us, with so much more to learn about the French language and culture. However, at the University of Stirling, we are never alone. In unity, there is strength!”
Many, many thanks to Valeriia for this great blog post and we hope the summer will offer many opportunities for you to continue to build your language skills so you’re ready for the language and culture combination that awaits in the autumn!
As we head into the second half of our autumn semester, many of our Year 3 students are already thinking (and planning) ahead for their spring semester which they’ll spend on Study Abroad. Depending on degree combinations, for some of them, this will mean time in France or at one of our partners in other French-speaking countries, while others will be off to Spain or Latin America for the semester. And many of this year’s finalists will be thinking back to this time last year when they were making plans for their own time abroad. With that in mind, we thought it was a good time to ask one of our current finalists, Amy, who is doing Single Honours French with us, to reflect on this past spring which she spent in the South of France:
“For as long as I can remember, I knew I wanted to live in France at some point in my life and the semester abroad was the perfect opportunity to do so. After finding out that I was going to study in Aix-en-Provence, I was ecstatic. It was my first choice and I couldn’t wait to experience life in the south of France. After going through the whole visa process, packing my bags and saying goodbye to my friends and family, it was finally time to leave. On the 6th of January 2022, I flew from Edinburgh to Marseille where I began this new chapter of my life.
Before arriving in Aix-en-Provence, myself and Rose, one of the other students who was also placed on her semester abroad there by Stirling, decided to do a bit of travelling. I had no idea that I was about to make a lifelong best friend. We explored Marseille, St Tropez, Cannes and Nice before moving into our uni accommodation in Aix. I was placed in a building called “Gazelles, Pavillion 7” which was predominantly for international students. My room was small but cosy. I had my own bathroom and fridge and plenty of desk space to do uni work. It was basic but had everything I needed. The kitchen on the other hand was an experience. We had no oven, one hob, one microwave and one sink that the 36 of us on my floor were expected to use. At first, it was a little difficult to get used to, but after a while, I got into a routine. I ate a lot of pasta, salads, baguettes and we also ate out quite a lot! Student accommodation was quite different compared to Scotland, everyone tended to keep to themselves so I would recommend joining an Erasmus group to meet people and going to events that they host. In Aix, they had an Instagram page where they would post regular social events for Erasmus students as a way of meeting people.
I absolutely loved daily life in Aix. There are so many things that you are able to do! Whether this be the cinema, bars and restaurants, the gym, a scenic walk or coffee shops, you are never stuck for choice. Le Cézanne fast became one of our favourite places for dinner and drinks, and the French wine definitely lived up to expectations!! Place des Cardeurs is also a lovely little square, full of music, bars and liveliness – ideal for students and those wanting to make new friends. La Rotonde is the centrepiece of Aix and is an absolutely stunning monument also. The weekly markets were also a firm highlight – so authentically French and a perfect way to spend your Saturday morning! Waking up every day in such a beautiful place is something that I tried never to take for granted !
Uni itself was such a fantastic experience. It is a ten-minute walk away from students halls and definitely isn’t as daunting as the confusing corridors of Cottrell! Classrooms are easy to find and students are always happy to help you find your way. We had to choose our classes before moving to France. The translation class was mandatory and was only for Erasmus students, as was our FLE class, which focused mainly on grammar. To ensure that we were awarded the correct number of credits by Stirling, we also chose to take a European Societies class where we learned about the history and politics of European countries and an Anthropology class. All classes were in French and although it seemed daunting at the start, it massively helped to improve my French. I was in classes every Monday and Friday and had an optional lecture on a Tuesday which left me a lot of time to study and travel!
Travelling played a massive role in my time abroad. Every opportunity that we got, we travelled somewhere new. Some of these places included, Courchevel, Paris, Bordeaux, Brussels, Vienna, Rome, Cassis, Lyon and La Ciotat. We always prioritised finding cheap flights and hotels so that we were able to go and do and see as much as possible. One of my favourite memories from my whole time away was our trip to Courchevel. Rose and I decided to go skiing in the French Alps and I was absolutely amazed at the way of life there. This was such a once in a lifetime experience and one that I’ll forever have fond memories of.
Whilst I was in France, we had a speaking exam and a mini dissertation for Stirling and a number of assessments for our uni in France. The biggest piece of advice I could give to others is start your mini dissertation early and don’t leave it until the last minute!! Researching something to do with where you’re staying in France can be really interesting and gives you something to focus on too.
If I could go back and do my semester abroad again, I’d do it in a heartbeat. It’s without a doubt the best thing I’ve ever done and I would recommend it to anyone. It’s such a life changing experience and you meet so many amazing, like-minded people!”
Many, many thanks to Amy for taking the time to write this post – it’s always great to read about our students’ time abroad and we hope this will also offer some useful pointers and advice for other students thinking ahead to their own semesters or years abroad.
Alongside all the usual activities happening in our classrooms and across our programmes (including our Year 3 students making plans for their upcoming Semester Abroad…), our outreach work centred on language learning in schools has also started up again.
On the European Day of Languages, a team of our Language Ambassadors were invited along to Wallace High to talk to the pupils there about the benefits of language learning. For Patrick, who is in his 2nd year studying French and Spanish with us, this was his first in-person school visit and a really positive experience: ‘The afternoon was a great success, pupils were engaging with the activities we had set out for them and have asked to be included in the future planning of similar events. From my point of view, it was an invaluable piece of my time used to hopefully persuade young pupils to continue to study languages.’ Feedback from the S3 pupils at the school was equally positive and huge thanks to Modern Languages teacher, Michelle McCaffery, for inviting us. We’re delighted our Ambassadors helped to convey the fact that, in the words of one pupil, ‘languages can take you places you would not expect!’
Despite some pretty atrocious weather, many of the Ambassadors got together at the end of that week, too, for a training and information session about the Ambassador scheme over the coming year. And while we were talking about that on campus at Stirling, some of the Ambassadors from our Strathclyde partners were out at St John Ogilvie High School, meeting with pupils and teachers there, including our own graduate Sam Evans! We’ll be joining forces for more school visits over the weeks ahead, working with Cédric Moreau from Strathclyde and Emma McLean from SCILT so watch this space…
And on Saturday 1st October, Cristina Johnston, Pete Baker, Fiona Noble and Elizabeth Ezra ran an online workshop for senior phase secondary school pupils, focusing on the multiple benefits that can come from using films as part of the ways we study languages. The event was part of a series of workshops organised by SCILT and was supported on the day by Sheena Bell, Suzanne Ritchie and Alice Lister. We were also really pleased that three of our current students, Dagmara, Alex and Helena, were able to join us on the day to talk about their experiences learning languages and, in particular, the ways in which film and visual culture have formed part of their own language learning. And we’re especially grateful, of course, to all the pupils who attended, from across Scotland, students of French, Spanish, German and Italian. They asked brilliant questions and worked hard on listening exercises involving songs from Encanto, as well as thinking about the wide range of topics that might emerge through the study of that kind of film.
Thank you, merci, Danke, grazie, gracias… to all the pupils at our SCILT workshop and to everyone who has been involved with our outreach activities so far.
Our annual post about our fantastic finalists and their plans for life after graduation has become something of a blog tradition (see 2021 here, for example, or 2020 here) and this year is no different. As this year’s finalists prepare for their graduation ceremonies next week, it’s great to be able to share their thoughts and plans for what lies ahead so here goes…
Morgan, who’ll be graduating in International Politics with Languages, is spending her summer volunteering in Calais and working in the refugee camp there (keep an eye on the blog for Morgan’s own post about that). At the end of the Summer, she’ll be off to Belfast to start an MA in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice at Queen’s University. And Pauline, who is also graduating with a BA Hons in International Politics with Languages is spending her Summer working as an intern in the European Parliament, working for an independent MEP. From October, she will be doing a trilingual Master in Applied European governance and policymaking, based in Nice, Kent and Berlin. Sophie, who has just completed her BA Hons in French and Spanish, is also continuing with her studies and is starting a BA in Theology and Christian Leadership at Missio Dei college which has affiliation with the University of Chester. Sophie will also be working with her church in Stirling to manage their social media and communications. As she says, this is a bit different from her degree work but she will have the opportunity to use her French and Spanish on missions trips and will also get the opportunity to learn Hebrew and Greek.
Finn will be graduating in French and Marketing next week and has a part-time field sales role with Fuel10k, an up-and-coming breakfast/cereal brand who also do their fair share of charity and environmental work that has led them to become the first cereal B-Corp brand. Finn’s cycling career is also going well and we’re delighted to be able to report that he has been selected to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games this August in Birmingham. He’s also got some big races coming up on the continent, as well as throughout the UK, so we’ll all be keeping our fingers firmly crossed. Then there’s Brendan, who’s graduating in French and Spanish, and who we’re really pleased to say will be returning to Stirling in the Autumn for this to work on our Master’s programme in TESOL. Like Brendan, Ceinwen is also planning future postgraduate studies as she looks forward to a research Master’s, building on her BA Hons in French, and both Muirne and Vasiliki, who will be graduating in Business Studies and French, are also planning postgraduate studies. Muirne will be starting a Master’s in International Business in September and Vasiliki intends to undertake a Master’s in Business based in Madrid, as well as being interested in an internship or a future career that would involve translation further down the line. And Sofia, whose degree was in French and Spanish, is planning a Master’s in South Asian Area Studies at SOAS where she hopes to research the transmission of intergenerational trauma in Asian women in the UK.
As for Maria, who has also just completed her BA Hons in Business Studies and French, at the moment she is working for her family’s business and she hopes to secure a job in Human Resources by the end of September. Maria is currently looking for positions both using French and English and hopes to secure one where she will still be able to practise her French on a daily basis. As part of her degree, Maria spent a semester at our partner institution ESSEC Business School in Cergy-Pontoise and her tip for future languages graduates is to make the most of Study Abroad in job applications because it gives you a real advantage as a candidate. And then we have Jackie, who’ll be graduating with her BA Hons in English Studies and French, and who is currently back home in Chicago with a very busy schedule, working full-time at a hair salon, part-time as a gymnastics coach, and working on writing her seventh book in her spare time. Jackie has been independently publishing books since she was 18, and her goal is to one day become a full-time author. She would love to be able to write full-time and travel around Scotland, France, and more of Europe once she has the savings to do so. Her current plan is to work and save money for a year or two, and then hopefully spend some time in France to really get fluent. As if all that wasn’t enough, Jackie is also currently taking an online TEFL course so would love to build on that in France as well.
Valentina has just completed her BA Hons in International Management with European Languages and Society and is already in employment, working in the finance department of our local translation and interpreting agency Global Voices. Her role is as a credit controller for the Italian and French markets so plenty of scope to continuing using her language skills in a friendly environment where they’re looking to expand their multilingual workforce. And David, who will be graduating with a BA Hons in French and History, is currently in Minnesota working as a Division Director in a summer camp until the end of August. After that, he plans to return to Stirling either to work in the heritage sector or to undertake our own Master’s in Heritage. And Courtney, who is graduating with a BA Hons in French, is continuing her current career path with a job in a pharmacy. She’ll be starting her dispensary course soon which means she can become a dispenser and will be eventually undertaking a course to become a dispensary technician.
Caitlin, who will be graduating with a BA Hons in French, has an offer for a place on the PGDE in Primary Teaching at the University of Strathclyde, a career that has always been her goal and her dream, so she’s really looking forward to starting on her teaching career. Like Caitlin, Eilidh is also heading for a career in teaching, as she reaches the end of her BA Hons in French and Spanish with Professional Education (Secondary) and is particularly pleased to have learned that her probation year will be spent teaching in her own former high school. Shannon, who has just obtained her BA Hons in French and Spanish at Stirling, is moving on to study for a PGDE in Early years and KS1 education at Liverpool John Moores University. She has always wanted to teach primary and her time teaching in Spain through the British Council helped her decide which age she’d like to teach. Shannon hopes to let her language work influence some lesson plans in the future. And our other Caitlin, who is graduating in French and Spanish with Professional Education (Secondary) will also be beginning her probationary year in August and is very much looking forward to getting the opportunity to inspire young people to learn languages. And Lara, who has just completed her BA Hons In French and Spanish, is also off to teach but, in her case, it’ll be through the British Council English Language Assistantship scheme. Next year, she’ll be working as an ELA in the Community of Madrid to experience full immersion in Spanish language and culture and to explore the opportunity of a future career in teaching Languages. Lara is planning on reapplying next year to do the same in a French-speaking country.
And Joanna, who’ll be graduating in French and Spanish, is planning to apply for a post working with PwC and intends to begin a Master’s in either Business or Translation later next year. First and foremost, though, Joanna’s getting married in two weeks’ time and, on behalf of everyone in French at Stirling, we wish her and her partner a very happy future together!
We’ll keep adding to this post as and when updates come in from more of this year’s finalists but, as ever, this is definitely one of the most fun posts to put together and we’re really grateful to all the finalists who have been in touch so far. On behalf of everyone in French at Stirling, we wish you a fantastic graduation and all the very best for the future, and we hope you’ll keep in touch with us over the months and years ahead.
Continuing our Languages Week Scotland blog series today with a great post from Emma who is currently working as an English Language Assistant in France, taking a year out between Year 3 and her final year here in Stirling. The ELAs remain incredibly popular with our students at a range of stages of their degrees and, at any one time, we usually have 20-30 students who are off teaching English to school pupils (and sometimes University students), mainly in France or Spain, but sometimes much further afield. For the moment, though, it’s over to Emma.:
“Back in 2018, when I decided to study French and Spanish as part of the International Management degree at the University of Stirling, I had a lot of things to look forward to; making new friends, expanding my knowledge of my favourite school subjects, etc. However, the main part of my degree I really couldn’t wait for was to have unforgettable experiences abroad – improving my language skills, learning the culture – I couldn’t wait for it to begin.
I was due to move to Spain in September 2020 to participate in the British Council language assistant programme. However, at this time Covid-19 cases were rapidly rising, so quite suddenly I decided to drop out. It was too dangerous for me to move abroad at this time. I was absolutely gutted but held out hope for the Study Abroad programme the following January, when I was supposed to go to France for six months. But guess what! Covid strikes again!
It was at this point where I was giving up hope for moving abroad. I had reapplied for the British Council programme in Spain the following September, but things were not looking good when I was placed on a waiting list. A few months went by, and in July, during a family holiday, I received an exciting e-mail. I had been offered a place on the programme, in my second-choice country, France. I only had two hours to decide if I would go or not! It’s fair to say, I was rather stressed, and it certainly made the holiday unforgettable. However, I took the plunge, and six months later I am writing this blog from Rouen, the capital city of Normandy, in France!
I can wholeheartedly say that this last-minute decision was the best I have ever made. I had no idea what to expect, my French language skills were not great, I didn’t know anyone. I was terrified! I quickly made some other assistant friends, I moved into an Erasmus student house (with 11 other people!) and I quickly settled into my new life. As I was placed in a city centre, I wasn’t sure if I would have many opportunities to speak French. But to my delight, not a lot of people speak English. If they can speak English, I say I want to practice my French, and they are happy to help!
Rouen itself is a beautiful city. I had never heard of it before, and it truly is a hidden gem, especially the beautiful architecture, and just the general atmosphere of the city. Although it is the capital of Normandy, it’s still fairly small with a population of around 110,000, so for me it is the perfect balance between city and town life. Maybe I would have spoken more French in a rural area, however I think Rouen is perfect for me, as I do definitely have to speak French but I have met a lot of English speaking friends here, which makes it really nice to take a break from all the French!
After a week of getting used to my new city, I began working in two middle schools just outside the city centre. I was rather nervous as I didn’t know what to expect in terms of the pupils’ English level, but I was pleasantly surprised that they could understand me, and only required some French explanations from time to time.
Being here has really helped me see that I absolutely love teaching. From preparing the lessons, to creating fun games and worksheets (10-year-olds love a wordsearch), the whole job is extremely fun and rewarding. I feel a sense of pride when I teach the kids something and they remember, or when they ask me endless questions because they are genuinely fascinated by me. All of the teachers in the school are lovely, they are patient with me with my rusty French speaking skills and encourage me to speak when I am comfortable. I didn’t know if I would have many opportunities to speak a lot of French, since I would be teaching English, however I have tried my best to take advantage of any opportunity to try and improve my language skills. At the beginning it was difficult to gain confidence, but I tell myself – who cares? At least I’m trying!
As I only work 12 hours per week in the schools, I have a lot of free time to explore the city – or even further. I have been able to do a lot of travelling along the northern coast of France, and before Christmas, myself and some other assistants were able to go to Brussels for a long weekend (an amazing city). It is also extremely helpful living only 1 hour and 30 minutes from Paris, and next week I will be travelling to Berlin and Amsterdam during the vacances – the school holidays are a major perk of the job, as it is so easy to travel from France to other places. I’m hopeful that during the April holidays, I will be able to explore the south of France (and escape the rain!). I feel like my time here in Rouen is completely flying by, which is so unfortunate as I am having the best time here, I don’t want to leave! However, I already know that once I have graduated, I will reapply for the programme, but this time in Spain, and hopefully be able to create more unforgettable memories. I don’t know if it is possible to top this year though…”
Many, many thanks to Emma for this brilliant post and we’re delighted things are working out so well. Enjoy the rest of your time in Rouen and do continue to take advantage of all the opportunities for travel! More perspectives on language teaching will follow over the next few days…
Ordinarily, at this point in the semester, we take the opportunity to welcome back our finalists, most of whom would usually have spent the previous semester on Study Abroad. We’re still really pleased to be welcoming them back, of course, but this year fewer of them are returning from time abroad. That said, as you’ll have gathered from posts over the past few weeks, they have, nevertheless, been undertaking Semesters Abroad online (in most cases). Every now and then, as restrictions have eased, some of them have found ways to visit our partner institutions in real life, as has been the case for Clemens who is entering Year 4 of our International Management and Intercultural Studies programme:
‘Last semester, I was very fortunate to attend Sciences Po in Paris for my semester abroad. However, it wasn’t quite as straightforward as that, as the semester abroad took place online, which meant I wasn’t in Paris, but instead sitting in front of my laptop in Stirling (something that was difficult to explain when I told people I was on my semester abroad – yes, I’m in Stirling, but not in Stirling).
Even though it was online, I was very lucky to choose any seminars I wanted, without fearing that I would miss out on something, as Sciences Po opted for online learning for the whole semester. The first seminars were a bit of a shock. I was sitting in front of my laptop and could not understand a word the tutor was saying, such was the speed of the conversation. I had to concentrate to be able to follow the class – or to at least understand roughly what was going on and after the first week, I had never felt this exhausted after a week of university seminars.
Luckily, my fear of not having the opportunity to speak the language and thus not being able to improve my language skills, did not materialize. All seminars included group work and a presentation, which meant that I was more or less forced to speak and present in front of the class, something that improved my speaking skills immensely. As the weeks went by, I noticed I was able to follow the class more easily and towards the end of the semester, I could even do other things whilst listening to the tutor. That for me, was a sign that the semester abroad was successful.
I also enjoyed the seminars very much. As a Politics geek, Sciences Po was the right place for me, as it is THE political university in France (the last four French Presidents attended Sciences Po). My seminars focused on political communication, elections, the European Union, and French newspapers, all of which I very much enjoyed and were right up my street. The seminars were also an inspiration for my independent research project, which I had to hand in at Stirling. My research focused on the depiction of the French commune by editorials of French newspapers of the time. I was able to put my French skills and the knowledge I had acquired over the course of the semester to good use for that project, which made me really happy.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed my semester abroad, some things obviously were missing. It was not the same as being in-person in Paris, which meant I missed out on all the things that come with a semester abroad beyond the academic side. In the grand scheme of things, this is a small nuisance and didn’t really worsen my experience of the semester abroad.
As I originally come from Stuttgart in Germany, I was actually able to visit Sciences Po this July to get a look and feel for the campus (and to stock up on Sciences Po branded stationery). Despite the circumstances it was a great semester abroad, as I learned a lot and was able to improve my French which I hope will come to good use now in my fourth year.’
Many, many thanks to Clemens for having sent through this great post and pictures, and we’re really pleased you managed to make it to Paris, even if it was after the actual Semester Abroad bit of the Spring. And welcome back!
Although, as you’ll have gathered from recent posts, experiences of Study Abroad have been very different for many students over the past 18 months or so, Study Abroad has still been happening. It’s just been taking different forms and not always involving physical travel abroad. However, we have been really pleased at Stirling to see our students finding ways of benefitting as much as possible from the opportunities that presented themselves. And it’s very much with that in mind that we’re delighted to be able to add the following article by Muirne, a Business Studies and French student who is about to enter her final year:
‘At the start of the summer, I participated in a summer school programme hosted by the EM Strasbourg Business School within the Université de Strasbourg. The course itself was very insightful and educational. Undeniably, it would have been more beneficial if the course had taken place in person and I had been able to visit the beautiful city of Strasbourg rather than solely complete the course online. Nevertheless, I was delighted to have the opportunity to take part in the course.
After hearing the devastating news that I was not able to complete my semester abroad to Perpignan, I tried my best to find another opportunity to study abroad as I was hopeful by the time the summer school was going to start, the COVID restrictions would have eased enough to permit travelling. I was thrilled when we were offered this summer school program, it looked optimistic especially as they had one month where they specified it would be in person. Clearly, sadly, this was not the case in the end but the course seemed perfect for me, since my degree at Stirling is in Business and French and it was fascinating to be able to get a better insight into international business while using French.
The course overall lasted about a month and it was rather intense with multiple classes every day during that month all lasting between 2-3 hours. Of course we had weekends off, although there was always something to be done for the classes, be it French homework or prep work for the other classes. Due to intense style of this summer school we were able to cover a lot of topics and I feel I learnt a substantial amount in such a short period of time.
Along the way through the course, I was able to make lots of new connections with people from across the globe. It was intriguing to learn more about each individual’s culture and country. This was done during the French classes where each person had 10 minutes to discuss their country and after was questioned about it. This helped to promote more natural and spontaneous responses. This was a great experience to build intercultural awareness and develop the ability to work in teams with people form multiple different cultures.
Unsurprisingly, although it was clear a lot of thought and planning went into the course, there is always room for improvement. It was challenging for everyone as this year was the first year it was available online and it is important to acknowledge that this did have some benefits for some, because it was a lot more accessible to those who would have not been able to travel over to France.
It was an eye-opening experience which I will be able to take with me into the world of work as it is something I would like to continue with. I would fully recommend this course to others looking to pursue a career in international business or to anyone who fancies trying something new for the summer. It is a great course for broadening your horizons and meeting new interesting people. And hopefully next time the summer school will be in person!’
Many thanks to Muirne for sending through this post. We’re pleased you were able to take this opportunity, despite the challenges of the year, and that you’re so positive about it as a potential avenue for future students. And, of course, we’re looking forward to welcoming you back to Stirling for the new semester!
As well as having an impact on our Stirling students’ experiences of Study Abroad, Covid also meant that, at least for us in French, we didn’t have the usual intake of a few French and Francophone exchange students we’ve enjoyed welcoming in previous years. We’re hoping to be able to do this again in the coming year but, in the meantime, we were delighted to hear from a former Erasmus exchange student, Julie, from our partners at Sciences Po. Julie spent a year at Stirling in 2018-19 and loved her time in Scotland so much that she’s coming back this year in a different guise!
‘I just graduated from a Master of Research in History from Sciences Po in Paris. I spent my year abroad at Stirling University. Coming to Scotland, I expected to fulfil my passion for Scottish history and enjoy the mysterious landscapes surrounding the city. However, as I have since learned, this country had so much more to offer. You can imagine my surprise, for example, when I got the opportunity to lead French conversations at the French department. My teaching experience was limited to basic French lessons that I gave to political refugees in Paris with a wonderful association, but it was in Stirling that I really discovered my interest in teaching at university level. Despite being the teacher, I was probably the one who learned the most during that year. As a student in History, I always loved to study not only other countries but also my own and to share this knowledge to anyone interested in our culture. Our quirks, heritage, our diversity.
My aim was to make students speak spontaneously about every subject with informal conversations. However, encouraging natural conversations is not an easy task, especially in a foreign language. I was faced with two main challenges. The first one was the age difference among the students. I was amazed that the students’ ages could range from 17 to 60 years old. This inspired me to adapt my methods and address issues that everyone could relate to. The second challenge was tackling the shyness of the students and encouraging them to speak. To achieve this, I attempted to set up a tolerant environment and go beyond the formal framework of the class. In order to overcome these barriers to exchange with each other, I found games particularly useful. It was an effective tool to get everyone involved, regardless of age or level of the student. During these games, they were more relaxed and had casual conversations with each other. They were able to talk about their life using complex structure and vocabulary. Adapting my methods to each class, taught me how to become a better professor and to answer the needs of the students more adequately. One moment in particular made me realize that I would love to teach as a career. One day a student came to see me at the end of the class and told me that she had a really bad day. I offered to talk about it with her, but she answered that the class already cheered her up. I discovered that a tutor could have a real impact on a student life and could care deeply about their problems.
I returned to Paris after my year in Stirling and completed my Master’s with a specialization in Scottish history. During my year abroad in Stirling, I fell in love with the country, its people, its heritage. This year, I applied for a Phd in few Scottish cities, determined to settle in. Unfortunately, I did not get a scholarship but I was offered the chance to be language assistant at the University of St Andrews. The experience I built at Stirling University will be very useful for the position. I strongly intend to reapply my Stirling experience to this new adventure. Although I will teach French to advanced students, I already know they are quite passionate about food and French peculiarities. I will devote an important part of my lessons to these topics but I’ll also teach them the ‘right’ pronunciation of the words… with a Toulouse accent of course!
In this strange world, I feel very lucky to come back to Scotland. I’m grateful for my experience in Stirling and can only hope that my students at St Andrews will be as nice as the ones I encountered in Stirling.’
Many, many thanks to Julie for finding the time to send through this blog post. We’re delighted to hear that your time at Stirling made such an impact on you and that you’ve found a way to come back to Scotland. Your work on the informal conversation sessions was very much appreciated by staff and students and we’ve no doubt you’ll do an excellent job at St Andrews too. We look forward to hearing all about it!
And following Emily’s thoughts a couple of months on from graduation, this next post comes from Ceinwen who is about to start the final year of her degree in French and who has been reflecting on last semester when she was an Erasmus student enrolled with one of our partner institutions in France but not able to travel over there:
‘Going into my third year during a global pandemic which caused major travel restrictions, the possibility that I would not be able to partake in my semester abroad was always in the back of my head. However, I was, and still very much am, an optimist. Of course, the reality that I wouldn’t study in France was there and when the news broke that my year wouldn’t be able to go, I was naturally a little upset, but I also understood how impossible it would have been. Despite this, I still did my semester abroad! It definitely wasn’t your blueprint Erasmus experience, but I still managed to vastly improve my French and even make some friends.
I completed an online semester (much like the online system we had at Stirling) at the University of Tours from January to early May this year. The course I did were a mix of specially-made modules for Erasmus students as well as modules from various departments at the uni itself. I went from French to English translation to French Children’s Literature and Psychology, all taught in French with fellow students from across the world. The courses themselves taught me so much about the French language, culture and even improved my time-keeping. Remembering that France is an hour ahead was surprisingly hard for the first week or so, I am so thankful I will never have to wake up for an 8am class ever again.
The module I think I got the most benefit from though was their TANDEM course. In this we got to chat to French students wanting to improve their English for an hour every week. One half in French, the other in English. I met so many students through this course and it really helped me become more confident with speaking the language as well as my cultural knowledge. I still speak to one of the girls I did this with today and even sent each other books in our target language at one point. We hope to meet once travel is safer and restrictions have been lifted more in both countries. I think a massive fear for me was missing out on meeting new people but programmes like this are so incredible not only for meeting folk but improving language skills in all areas! I am so much more comfortable using slang for example and understanding the speed at which some people speak.
I think it would have been so easy for me to become downhearted at the fact that I wasn’t going abroad like so many years before me have, but I think throwing myself into the experience anyway really helped. If I didn’t make the effort to engage with the online resources that I was so lucky to have in the first place, then there was no way that my French would improve. I am so thankful for the staff at Tours for being so understanding to the situation as well as making the courses accessible and easy to follow and for the staff at Stirling for providing work of their own too!
I’m excited to start back for the first semester of my fourth year with a new set of skills and a deeper understanding of the French language and culture. My advice for this coming year’s third years is to throw yourself into the opportunities presented to you, whether your Erasmus is in person or online. Also do not be afraid to go for it in conversation classes because the only way you’ll improve is by going straight out of your comfort zone.
At the end of the day, it wasn’t the Erasmus experience I was expecting, but the end result has definitely surprised me.’
Many thanks to Ceinwen for sending through this post. We’re sorry you didn’t get a chance to travel to Tours (we hope you will be able to in the future!) but it’s great to hear that you were able to get so much out of the experience all the same and we look forward to welcoming you back to Stirling in a few weeks!
French at Stirling 
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