Au Revoir Québec!

Well, it is certainly hard to believe that we have already spent two weeks in this wonderful city, immersed in the French language. It has been packed with activity and gone by very quickly. The last day of language classes for the students included a presentation ceremony where students received their certificates and said goodbye to teachers and classmates from other parts of the world. Everyone worked very hard in the classes.

Our last night together as a group, we went to the famous restaurant Le Cochon Dingue in the Basse-Ville at the feet of the Château Frontenac. The food and the company were fantastique and it was a great way to celebrate the end of the program and to say bon voyage back to the USA. It was nice to savour the evening actvities and lights in the old city for the last time. The students are all leaving Québec today. I'd like to say a grand merci to Sylvain and Marie-Claude and their team at Edu-Inter, our partner school, for all they have done this year to contribute to the program's success. They were great to work with, as always. Most of all, I am impressed with my students. Not only did their proficiency improve in French, but they all demonstrated increased confidence when speaking with native speakers in all contexts, including when they were out by themselves. They engaged with local culture and customs and learned about the rich history in this region of the country. I had the pleasure of getting to know a great group of students in a more intimate way and to share my country with them. Un grand merci à Arzell, Diana, Elizabeth, Hannah, Jessie, Jim, Kayla, Melissa et Samantha. A mes étudiants: Vous avez tous fait d'excellent progrès en français et dans vos appréciations de la culture francophone-canadienne. Je suis très fière de vous tous et c'était mon plaisir de vous avoir accompagnés à Québec. Vous avez représenté Cincinnati et les Etats-Unis avec honneur. Au plaisir de travailler avec vous encore à UCBA!

I have enjoyed my time in Québec, speaking French all day long and being Canadian again for two weeks. Each time I visit Québec, I continue to learn more about the history of this wonderful region and discover some hidden gems. I am leaving with some new ideas for my courses and my research. Here are some final photos of one of the most beautiful and historic cities in North America.