Tag
I tutor a French middle schooler, and he speaks almost perfect English. We’ll talk for 30 minutes and he’ll make one, two or sometimes zero mistakes. I also tutor a few French friends who are in their 20s. Some of…
Jeremy joined us on a French-immersion tour of Arnaudville, Louisiana and opened up a little about his family history, Cajun French culture, and his appreciation for French’s versatility worldwide.
When I was three years old my mom sent me to a Greek language preschool, and suddenly my dolls were ροζ (roh-z) not pink. My firetruck was κόκκινο (koh-kee-no) instead of red, and my sliced apple was now a μήλο…
Before I stepped foot in Louisiana, I made Isaac Toups gumbo and thought it turned out pretty well. I made my own roux with grapeseed oil, flower and elbow grease, and took it up a notch with homemade bone broth. I thought it was pretty good. Then I ate Louis Michot’s gumbo, and realized I was missing so much (and I was working too hard).
Ryan’s two eldest children are Rosetta Stone’s most active French learners in Louisiana, so we jumped at the chance to have the whole family join us on our French-immersion tour of Arnaudville and for gumbo at Louis’s. We caught up with him afterwards to dig a little deeper into his Acadian heritage, Cajun music, and how speaking French has fueled their nonprofit’s mission.
This was my first true Mardi Gras experience, and my assumptions—as assumptions tend to go—were embarrassingly naive.
My boyfriend and I speak almost exclusively in French. While his English is decent enough to have a conversation and understand 90% of what he hears, we default to French because that’s the language we got to know each other…
Would you find it particularly cute if your boyfriend called you his flea? Or how about if your wife sent you a cute text calling you, the love of her life, her cabbage? How about if your partner addressed a…
Before you pull up a seat at the holiday table, study the rules of etiquette so you can avoid a faux pas (yes, that’s French for lack of tact, or rude foreigner, depending on who you ask). While taking cues from your host or hostess is never a bad idea, it’ll also impress them if you come equipped not just with a symbolic gift but with the kind of consideration for their cultural values that money can’t buy.
Before you get out there and start mingling merrily, it pays to know a little cultural etiquette. Our international guide to party protocol will help you raise a glass in the most common languages and understand how to rub elbows without committing a faux pas.
When you’re popping into a holiday party, it’s considerate to bring a gift for the host or hostess. Many people choose flowers since they’re a beautiful and gracious way to extend thanks, but different flowers can have different meanings across cultures. In South Africa for instance, it’s customary to give flowers during the holidays, but in Egypt, they are only appropriate as gifts when attending a funeral.
Thoughtfulness and a little cultural sensitivity translate well in any language.We may have different names for Santa Claus or Father Christmas, but the reason for our joy across the world remains the same. During the holiday season, we unite in…
