J'Explore

Well, a year ago I was experiencing la culture Francophone in Alma, a town in northern Quebec.  I was fortunate enough to win the lottery and the government of Canada paid for me to experience the culture that comes with the second national language.

Explore is a program that is run by the government for students to improve their speaking skills in their non-native official language, by immersion, for a period of five weeks.  It was amazing and I recommend it to anyone who qualifies and is interested in improving their other official language!

Alma was special though – it is a smaller program than most, and is aimed at students who are musical and would like to learn about that aspect of francophone culture and have dedicated time to practice their art.  Along with about 20 students, I had the privilege of learning francophone music, French music terms, and explored the area of Lac St. Jean at the same time.

I lived with a local family and got to know them and my lovely housemate - Natalie, was surprised to discover my cousin Ryan attending as well(!), attended local events, enjoyed local fresh baking, cheeses, and beer, got spoiled by house parents, visited the ghost town of Val-Jalbert with its' amazing waterfalls, spent a day in Quebec City, went whale-watching in Tadoussac, participated in an improv concert/contest, did a high-ropes and zipline course - which was a huge stretch for me as an acrophobe (fear of heights), ran a bake sale with the help of my friends to raise money for refugees, and ended the five weeks with a concert and farewell party.

Explore was amazing – feel free to contact me if you are interested in applying and would like to chat about my experience.  Sadly, the Alma program has been discontinued, but there is one in nearby Chicoutimi, and many others spread throughout the province and country.

Lac St Jean (we biked through nearby towns to the lake).

Swimming in the somewhat cold lake.

A cabin in Val-Jalbert.

My house-mother and the canyon.

Quebec City - I felt like I was in Europe again!

Beautiful.

Me during the improv concert.

Whales!

My teacher and I at the bake sale table.

Natalie & me.

Drool-worthy freshly made cheeses...

The Val-Jalbert falls that powered the pulp mill.

A confused and overheated owl at one of the cabins.

A jazz band that we stopped to listen to.

Night-time lights.

Cousin Ryan during the improv concert.

This whale jumped so many times!

The tango during the final concert.