Student Spotlight: George and Myra

What inspired or motivated you to start learning French together?

George was exploring a job opportunity in France, and we planned a vacation there to coincide with his interview. George needed to learn enough French for the interview, but we also wanted to learn and practice conversational skills to use on the trip. In other words, we wanted to order food, stay in hotels, sightsee and shop, all in French!

What are some of the benefits of learning a language together?

At the time we both had busy schedules and worked in different cities. We thought a French course would be a good opportunity to spend time together. It was! We looked forward to our afternoons at Speak, which were sometimes followed by walks on the Downtown Mall or dinner. And on a practical note, taking the course together made it easier to practice French at home. We both understood the time investment and had each other as a resource. (What was that phrase she taught us again? Did you watch the video for tomorrow’s lesson?)

How would you describe your couples’ course to a friend? What three adjectives would you use?

Accessible – The instructor did an excellent job tailoring the course to our interests and abilities. When it became obvious that we like to eat and drink, we even had a lesson on French wine vocabulary!

Beneficial – We had a fantastic vacation in France, especially because of our improved language skills. We didn’t plan where we ate or what we did based on whether there would be someone who spoke English. The course at Speak gave us confidence and freedom to explore. And as a bonus, the course was a good starting point for more French adventures. George accepted the job opportunity, and we’ve been living in France since March 2020.   

Fun – If we’d known how much we would enjoy our afternoons together at Speak!, we would have signed up much sooner!