Bruno Falardeau (Class of 2009; Major Modern Languages with concentrations in German Studies and Hispanic Studies / Minor Italian Studies)
During my undergraduate studies at Bishop's University, I'd had the chance to go on exchange to Spain and Germany for a whole academic year. And since I was longing to go back in my final year, I applied to a French Language Assistant Programme that would bring me back to Germany to teach French at a German high school for 9 months. A few months later, I found myself at the Realschule Oedeme in the idyllic town of Lüneburg, just south of Hamburg, in Lower Saxony. My experience overall was extremely enriching; meeting other assistants from other countries and developing close friendships with them, teaching kids of different ages and also having to work with teachers in a professional setting was definitely worth it. It also gave me invaluable work experience if I ever decide to go into teaching. The highlight of my year there would be taking my German students (and trust me, they do become YOUR students) on a student exchange to France, near Paris and also organizing the French visit at our school. Needless to say, my German also reached new peaks during my stay and most of my free time was devoted to travelling around Germany and discovering yet new parts of the country. I left Germany with an even better understanding of the language but also of its people and of their culture.
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