Man, does it feel good to be back writing. And boy, do I have things to write about.
I’ll skip the prelude; I think I’ve kept you waiting long enough. And I’m eager to share another installment in my French fluency journey. Personally, I would love to share a journey of linear progress with you. But it’s more helpful for both of us if I’m as honest about my failures as I am my successes. And this story is a bit of both.
In February of this year, I decided to enroll in B2 classes at the Mairie de Paris. I can’t speak for other cities, however the Mairie de Paris offers a massive catalogue of courses in almost any subject: languages, IT skills, arts, technical skills. When I first moved to Paris in 2022 I was interested in pursuing FLE classes, for the same reason that I want to pursue them now. However, the prices I saw were well beyond the budget of a language assistant. Then I met someone who told me about classes at the Mairie, and an entire semester of class (120 hours) was 300€. While it did take some saving on my part, I found that it was pretty affordable after doing the math. And having done the course, it was definitely worth the money content-wise. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
So I decided to enroll in B2 classes earlier this year. For those of you who are new to my journey, I had passed the DELF B2 exam in 2019. Therefore, it seems pretty nonsensical that I would enroll in a class that I’ve technically already passed.
Well, hear me out.
From my perspective, my French level had diminished significantly since my peak in 2019. Of course, I still know French. But I wasn’t as sharp as I used to be. I didn’t study as obsessively as I used to. Somewhere along the line, I lost my drive. And with it, my near C1 French level. Here we are in 2024, and DALF C1 looked like this unattainable chasm I couldn’t cross, because I wasn’t at my peak (nor anywhere close). At the time, I though that the best course of action was to go backwards, so as to move forward. So, I would pursue this ‘lower’ level and use it to revise my weak areas and hopefully get back on the proverbial horse. Then I would be in a better place to start preparing for C1.
Maybe every single one of you reading this is already dissecting the flaws of this plan. For those of you who are not yet convinced, I can confirm that this plan backfired. At least, partially.
As I said before, the class was definitely worth the money in terms of content. I surely learned a lot, was in a more comfortable environment to practice speaking, and gained plenty of useful information. Unfortunately, it only reinforced what I already knew – I had a B2 level in French. This wasn’t a true challenge of my abilities, which would in turn inspire growth. I aimed for a bar that I knew I could reach.
This realization came to me when I didn’t study for the final exam, and nevertheless passed. It wasn’t that I believed that I didn’t need to to study. Or that I lost interest in the class. Due to other obligations I had to fulfill for my degree (a journey I also hope to document here) attending the last month of class and studying for the exam became increasingly more difficult. So I didn’t. And I passed, with a pretty good grade. Although I was relieved because it meant that I didn’t waste my money, it never felt like a true accomplishment.
Because it never would be.
Looking back, despite my fears and personal doubts, and despite the huge language leap, I should’ve challenged myself by pursuing that C1 class. Even if I failed, I would’ve gained more from that challenge than not challenging myself at all.
So where does that leave me in this journey? And what can I impart on all of you?
First, don’t be afraid of seeking out new challenges. That’s where growth happens. And this story is proof that growth certainly doesn’t happen in your comfort zone. Even if you don’t realize you’re in your comfort zone.
Second, I can’t say whether I’ll regain that lost momentum and become that girl who used to live and breathe French. But I do want to return to actively learning and improving my French. Just in a way that’s more attuned to my current life. And if you have any ideas on where I can start, I’d love to hear about it in the comments, or on social media.
French-Action
Leaving one’s comfort zone is always a challenge because of the fear of being unable to cope. It is true that there is big gap between B2 and C1 but it made more sense to enroll for C1 than B2 you had already achieved. The language remains the same but the vocabulary and idioms was what you needed to focus on to be able to understand complex texts. Fluency was also another element sought after. However, such preparation requires a lot of reading and listening…so if you don’t have the time for this, you will feel left behind. Nevertheless, I can only encourage you to aim for C1. You have been doing the right thing with your books. So now, you need to get immersed in current affairs in French and read with critical lenses. All the best!