Notes

“The limits of my language are the limits of my world.” Ludwig Wittgenstein spoke these words many years ago that apply so directly to my language learning experience today. When I was 8 years old, I went with my family to Paris. I don't remember every detail of the trip, but I know that it created a real interest in learning French. I wanted to be a part of the Francophile culture; I was transfixed by the Eiffel Tower, the Arc-de-Triomphe, the Louvre-- even a short walk across town was fascinating. And, of course, the delicious food. Listening to the locals speak was so beautiful to my young self and I tried my best to soak up simple words. I could say "Bonjour", "Merci", and not much else, but still I harbored a desire to be able to speak. When I entered middle school, I undoubtedly chose to study French. I took a quick understanding and liking to it as I had done before. I found myself gaining fluency and passion with each year. In the summer of 2015, my family and I traveled to Montréal and again I was fascinated with the culture. The old and new city merged in a beautiful preservation of Quebecois culture. I visited many museums, restaurants, shops, and of course tried to speak French whenever I could. These incredible places could have be fully experienced without interest in French. Now, I dream of visiting Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, and many other countries to immerse myself in French language and culture, further extending the limits of my world.