— 1 Feb 2020, 17:13 by Maison Claire Fontaine
It is the start of a new season and we are very excited to welcome our new assistant Ruby. She first visited Maison Claire Fontaine in 2013 with her school and now returns to be part of the Maison Claire Fontaine team herself. Fantastique !!!! In this blog, Ruby tells us a little but about her previous experiences of Maison Claire Fontaine as a pupil ....
"I visited MCF with my school in 2013 and it was such a great experience for so many different reasons. The week went by so quickly and I remember really clearly the atmosphere on the coach journey back - apart from being pretty exhausted after a jam-packed week of activities and an early morning, we were all really emotional.
It is amazing how in just a week a new place felt like another home, and new people like old friends. I have so many happy memories from my week in Meluzien, but one that really stands out for me was the final evening; we had just had the disco and then came out and sat together on the grass and sang as the evening light sank behind the hills. It was a very happy moment that we all shared together, and I think that’s what makes MCF such a special trip - new, shared experiences that not only boost your French but through which you learn a lot about yourself, your peers and get a first real taste of independence.
Of course, the real magic of it is that this is all happening in the stunning French region of Burgundy, and more specifically Meluzien - the hamlet where MCF is based (although you do also spend a lot of time exploring off-site). In particular, I remember how good the food on site was (three courses!) as well as the wonderful trip to a local market where we got to choose, prepare and present our own lunch as a table. We went in the summer and so ate all of our meals outside, which was lovely.
The site itself was beautiful and felt very authentic, with lots of green outdoor space for swings, football, badminton, the list goes on…! Every day was different but there was always a great balance of new activities (including archery and mosaic making) and day trips alongside french ‘lessons’ where we learnt about the region and got lots of opportunities to practise our speaking in particular.
MCF certainly had a big impact on me. I think the week I spent in Meluzien, immersed in the French language and culture, both lifted my language skills and - having had that initial glimpse at all the opportunities that come with learning a foreign language - planted a seed that has grown into a love of French and France (I am now going to study French as part of my university course). I also learnt a lot about myself as I did lots of things for the first time, so was constantly challenging myself and pushed out of my comfort zone but always in a very safe and supportive space. I would say that MCF did wonders for my French, confidence and gave me my first proper understanding of a world beyond my everyday life at the time.
My advice to anyone (thinking of) coming would be firstly to really push yourself because this week is an amazing opportunity to improve your French and discover more about yourself, and secondly to make sure you look out of the window on the coach because it is a truly beautiful area of France!"
