Clarissa et moi dans le Vieux-Lyon/ Œuvre de l'architecte Philibert DELORME
Témoignage de Clarissa :
My experience living with Hélène, Laurent and family for a week exceeded my expectations completely. I visited them to learn the language, and left with a full belly and memories for life.
While Hélène and Laurent showed me all the must-do activities, the real experience came from sharing their knowledge of the city that is little-known to the average tourist. I followed them around to Chinatown, saw some great views from the terrace of the Musée des Confluences, gained an appreciation for the former silk industry of Lyon, and cycled around the quartier des États-Unis. Never before would I have thought to visit the social housing district of a city but exploring this quarter was honestly one of my favourite experiences as it shed light on the values that French people espouse.
I adored how the family treated meals as sacred and a time to bond over deliciously cooked food. As a vegan, I never have an expectation to eat well (especially in France :P) but Hélène went above and beyond to research ingredients and modified all the meals for me. Laurent has a great taste in music and always created "une bonne ambiance".
Of course, I would be remiss to not mention the classes. While we allocated 3 hours of formal learning each morning, Hélène continued to teach throughout the day, correcting my grammar where necessary but she always knew when was appropriate to intervene. However, the opportunity to live and absorb how a French family interacts is the true way to learn the language. The most valuable lessons I learned were the expressions used daily between family members!
Thank you to Hélène, Laurent and family for being the best hosts I could possibly have imagined. Bisous xx
Clarissa à la Confluence avec Lolo
Allez, ça bosse dur !
Soirée bo bun ! Vegan pour Clarissa !! =)
Tajine de légumes - Un peu d'épices dans nots assiettes !
Musée des Beaux-Arts