Each summer, students immerse themselves in French culture by staying with host families as part of the University in France faculty-led study abroad program.

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Michael Picone, University of Alabama professor of French and linguistics, currently serves as the program director. He takes between 15 and 18 students on a five-week trip to France. Students take six credit hours in various courses, including subjects like grammar, literature and civilization. All courses are taught in French by highly qualified instructors.

“Their profession is to teach French to individuals who would like to acquire it,” Picone said. “Various American universities and universities from around the world send their students there for that purpose.”

An added bonus of the trip is the week spent in Paris prior to the month of classes. Picone, who lived in France for nine years, uses his knowledge of the area to ensure his students get a tour of both the well-known and lesser-known attractions.

“I know sites that are of interest to take students to that are a little bit off the beaten track, so it has that dynamic as well,” Picone said. “And then we also take in performances, which is something that, if you were on your own, you wouldn’t think necessarily to do.”

The cultural immersion continues into the academic portion of the program. Host families serve as the only housing option, providing students with another outlet for practicing their French.

“We wanted to really profit from the fact that they’re in France and to make sure that they can have contact with French and use their French with French people,” Picone said. “This is easier said than done, because you can’t just go up on the street and say to someone, ‘I’m from America. I’d like to talk to you in French.’”

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Rebecca Mast, a junior minoring in French, participated in the program last summer. She said she enjoyed spending time with her host mother during her free time.

“She was great at explaining things, and I learned as much from her as I did in my classes,” Mast said. “She always had to explain the television shows to me, because I didn’t always understand what was going on.”

Overall, the experience has proven to be a life-changing one for the participants. Jean Luc Robin, an associate professor in French, traveled with the group last year and said he noticed a significant change in his students.

“From the first day when we go from the airport to the hotel and the last day when we go from Tours to the airport, they are completely changed,” Robin said. “They are different persons.”

Mast said one of the most valuable experiences she gained through the program was improving her French.

“Immersion can do amazing things to one’s ability to speak a foreign language,” she said.

The University in France program will take place during the Summer I term. The deadline to apply this year is March 21, and there are still a few open spots.

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