While walking around campus, uOttawa students experience a unique thing: students are immersed in two languages and cultures both equally practised in Ottawa. For the English speakers who can hardly speak a lick of French, it can be intimidating hearing our classmates speaking fast, fluent French that your brain just cannot keep up with. As for our French étudiants, trying to wrap their head around English as adults can be a real challenge. However, both English and French speakers should take the time to take advantage of living in Ottawa and going to the largest bilingual university in North America.
It is a well known fact that we all learn in different ways. For some individuals, it is difficult to learn a new language in a classroom setting. In our beautiful bilingual city, there are so many alternative ways to learn French and English without a text book. Check out events happening in and around Ottawa. Even though winter is quickly approaching, Ottawa does not slow down. There are a number of concerts featuring French artists to go see. You could also grab some friends and have a night out at Canada’s National Art Centre, a less than 15 minutes walk from campus. Since the holidays are approaching, there are a number of plays to see now until the New Year. This is a fun way to immerse yourself in French arts and represents also a source of entertainment.
University of Ottawa’s students are a pretty active bunch. Do not let winter get you down and participate in winter sports! Head over to Quebec and visit the ski hills the province is so famous for. It is a chance to get some exercise and talk to the locals. In Gatineau there are concerts and cultural events going on during the holidays and onward. It is only a bus ride away!
Even though Canada has the amazing quality of having two official languages, what better way to learn French than to go abroad. Not only is it an excuse to hop on a plane and explore, but it an opportunity to learn a language, because you have no other choice! If you are still not comfortable taking classes in French, there are programs out there that are in English. Then you can get school credits, experience a new culture and learn something new. Maybe your program of study will take you somewhere in the world you never thought of going before. Whether it may be France, Belgium or amongst the many countries in Africa, French is a must!
Taking on a new language for social use can expand your horizons, but it also will improve your employability significantly. Why do we go to university in the first place? To get a decent job after our 4+ years in school. Being bilingual is one of the many things that may get you that job over the dozen or so others applying. If you are planning on resigning in Ottawa after you graduate, bilingualism is a must. About a 1/3 of Canadians in the Ottawa/Gatineau area are french speakers as of 2006 according to Statistics Canada. The ability to communicate with a third of the population in Ottawa would obviously be very helpful for future job applications.
Also, there is an incredible amount of resources uOttawa bilingual students have! Even if you are not a bilingual student and want to learn a second language, the school’s resources is one of the easiest ways to get started. Visit the bilingual centre and they can guide you through bilingual programs and will even offer other starters. For those of you who are not too serious into fully learning french and just want to practice orally, try Club d’immersion. It is a student run club where students can socially practice French as well as have fun doing it! They organize trips to Quebec, movie nights and other activities on campus. This is an amazing way to practice your bilingualism outside the classroom where it is actually relevant in your social life.
For the native French and English speaker, it would be a good idea to not just look at learning a new language as a techniqual thing: see it as experiencing, a new culture different from your own ! It also give you the chance to connect with a huge portion of the student body. Listen to French or English music, watch movies and television shows, read books, even change your social media settings to your second language! Practice the cultural customs, whether they are part of French, English or another language entirely. Take part in the bilingual vibe Ottawa offers and truly dive into the culture that will, in the end, better yourself !
Resources:
Events in Ottawa: http://ottawa.ca/
NAC French Theatre: http://nac-cna.ca/en/theatrefrancais
Carrefour Francophone Events: http://www.communitylife.uottawa.ca/en/activitiesFr.php
Gatineau Events: http://gatineau.ca/page.asp?p=quoi_faire
Bilingual Lifestyle: http://www.immersion.uottawa.ca/lifestyle.php
Exchanges: http://www.international.uottawa.ca/en/exchanges/
Photo Credits: