It’s been interesting to be learning French these last few years. It’s now well and truly ingrained into my life. I cannot go a day without listening, watching, writing or talking French. When you learn a language, you pretty much should make a pact with yourself that it should be part of your life.

And so, here I was in my new French class at a nearby suburb where I signed up for a 10 week Advanced Conversation Skills Course where momentarily, I phased out of the class and reflected that it felt like I was actually in France.

The entire class is in French. No English is spoken. It’s a mix of oral and aural exercises where we discuss weekly topics that range from current affairs, climate change, digital workplaces and culture.

For a moment I had to pinch myself that I could understand, I could contribute and participate in these topics in a different language.

All I need to do now is to actually GO to France. To be truly immersed. To go all out. To be within and involved.

To be, French.

For those who know me, know that I have no desire to go back to university and study another formal subject even though I still have many years ahead of me before the retirement age of 65. However in the last few years, in my quiet times, I do catch myself thinking that I’d only return to university to undertake French studies.

If there wasn’t an issue with money, I’d gladly return to the life of a student at Monash University to do a BA in French Studies and English Literature. Maybe History or even Modern Greek too.

But French. Mainly French.

Nothing else attracts me except the idea of being in a lecture room completely immersed with the French language.

It’s weird. I can’t explain this attraction to this language and culture but I’m so glad that I’ve redeemed myself. From failing high school French to now being fluent in it, this is something I’m proud of.