Students to immerse themselves in French culture

First published November 11, 2013

A group of James Cook University students from Cairns and Townsville will travel overseas to engage with one of Australia’s closest tropical neighbours, New Caledonia.

Later this month the ten students who are studying French at JCU will spend two weeks in the country to absorb the culture of the region.

New Caledonia, or Nouvelle Calédonie in French, is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, 1,210km east of Australia.

Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island became a French possession in 1853.

Florence Boulard, Lecturer in JCU’s School of Arts and Social Sciences, said it would be an experience of a lifetime for the first, second and third year JCU students.

“In line with the JCU strategic ambition to become a world-leading university of the tropics, students of French at JCU have the opportunity to participate in short immersion programs in Noumea in New Caledonia,” Ms Boulard said.

During their stay, students would have a range of opportunities to immerse themselves in the language and the culture, she said.

“In addition to formal language instruction at a language school in Noumea, students will be staying with families and participate in various cultural activities,” Ms Boulard said.

“This is a great experience for our JCU students to enhance their language skills in an authentic context and it helps them broaden their views and knowledge of what the French language and culture is all about.”

Ms Boulard said the students were very excited to be able to apply their language skills outside of the classroom environment.

Photo/media opportunities:

The students leave Australia on Saturday, November 23. Best opportunity: Monday November 18, when several students will be on the Townsville campus.

JCU Media contact: Caroline Kaurila (07) 4781 4586 or 0437 028 175