Want to practice your French speaking skills while expressing your passion for the culture? Café Français is a valuable on-campus opportunity for students who are either studying or know French to conversate with their peers and practice their vocabulary and grammar. It is a relaxed environment that offers the chance for people of any skill level to hone their fluency in the language, while meeting new people with similar hobbies and interests.
The meetings are held every Wednesdays every two weeks from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Walker 120C, in the Humanities Digital Media Zone (HDMZ). Meetings are open to anyone who wants to join. There is a general topic of discussion given for a conversation to be started, and students are guided by moderators and themselves to speak in French about anything from their favorite local activities to current events to personal stories.
Café Français is not the only language hour opportunity on campus. The German and Spanish departments also have Stammtisch and La Peña, respectively. These programs are similar to Café Français but are in their own respective language and have slightly different structures. Both Stammtisch and La Peña offer games that can be played in the languages of the events providing students a fun way to learn and practice.
La Peña is on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. in room 120A in the HDMZ every other week. The next meeting on Oct. 22 will be a celebration of the Mexican holiday el Día de Muertos (day of the dead). There will be a speaker to explain the holiday as well as cookie decoration for symbols related to the holiday. Stammtisch is on Mondays at 4:30 p.m. in room 120C in the HDMZ. The next meeting will be on Nov. 11.
For students enrolled in a French class, announcements are commonly sent out about Café Français. However, students who are not in a French class but are intrigued by the opportunity and want to participate may send an email to the following contact for the respective event. For Cafe Francais, contact Leyre Alegre. For La Pena, contact Estela Mira Barreda. Finally, for Stammtisch, contact Stephanie Rowe.
