The Responsibility Of Language-A Reason For Conversation Corps

I've just returned from a week in Paris, where I met with our Paris office staff and five of our partners who recruit and screen families for our Conversation Corps-France program.

On this trip, I invited my 11 year old daughter, Molly.  This was her first trip to France.  She has an email-pal in Lille, France named Alexandra and we had arranged for the two girls to meet.

As I sat in Alexandra's living room chatting with her mother, Molly and Alexandra ate Crepes in the kitchen and then took scooters down to the neighborhood park.  Molly will learn French this year in school and Alexandra is currently learning English.

At one point, Alexandra asked Molly about her hobbies.  Molly had to "act out" about her drama club.  When Molly asked Alexandra about the things she likes to do, Molly didn't understand the French and Alexandra didn't know the words in English.  So Alexandra drew a picture in the sand with a stick showing a boat with sails and then drew a picture of a horse with a triangle for a girl rider.  And the two girls laughed and scootered off as if they could communicate with words and had been BFF.

Since I began this work in 1975, these types of experiences are what keep me going to work each day.  After 34 years, I still get out of bed each morning excited about my work and the opportunities GeoVisions provides people all around the globe.  My daughter's life will never be the same.  Her first trip to France, her train ride to Lille, eating Crepes in a friend's home and running in a park made her realize learning French this year in school is not a subject she will have to take.  Instead, it is a responsibility that in it's own way might bring the world closer.  Realizing that, learning French will take on an importance she would have never known without this trip.

My meetings were very positive and I am excited about the tutoring experiences in France for 2010.  And I'm very happy Molly and I took a Saturday and traveled to Lille to meet Molly's email-pal.  It reminds me to be open to new experiences each day.  It would have been easy to fly home on Saturday or to stay in Paris for the day.  But, heading for Lille on a Saturday made lasting changes for my daughter and for her friend, Alexandra.  And even for Molly's Dad.  It's good work we do.

If you happen to read this post, and something similar has happened to you, I hope you will use the comment section and let us know.  It is really a great reminder that the AFS slogan, "Changing the world one person at a time" is right on target.

Live the journey,

Randy