The vibrant, multi-facetted French American Centre (FAC) would be an ideal first port of call for any American arriving in the southern French town Montpellier.
Founded by American Jerry Rudes, creator of the annual Avignon independent film festival, the FAC is almost 15 years old and 85% of its 500 members are French. However Americans are more than welcome as well. Funded by its French membership and a stipend from the city, the language program for English speakers who want to learn French is free.

Their innovative “reciprocal” language-learning program has as much splash about it as the center’s vibrant pop-art logo. Classes are of no more than six and the programme includes excursions, social events and meals with French families. FAC’s teaching involves putting the language into practice by using dialogues, games and role-plays and by working with materials like newspapers, videos, drama and objects, like maps, that show the language in everyday use. The lessons are always taught by native-speakers and are intended to be dynamic and good fun. Learning about Montpellier - a historic town buzzing with a 55,000-strong student population - is integrated into the courses as much as possible.

One of the most helpful features FAC offers is its language partner service - just fill out a form and they will put you in contact with like-minded people for private
language exchanges.

FAC director Jeanette Franklin said: “You can keep meeting new people until you scream ‘Stop!’ Over the years many lifelong friendships have resulted from this service. Since our aim is to integrate students into French popular culture, having one or several language partners is very motivating. For example, it exposes students to social references and teaches them to understand jokes. Fortunately, there are many French people who are looking for those aspects of American (or British) culture too.”

Whether they are teachers, visiting students or permanent residents, English-speakers are always in demand at the FAC.

Even after returning to the States, many former members continue to contribute to what they consider to be their “French family.” Articles like: How Baseball is Played or Don’t Miss Madison (WI) appear on the FAC website. Ms Franklin said: “We’ve recently started an international pen pal program. All ages, all interests. We have a huge number of French from the area wanting to have USA pen pals.”

Always looking for volunteers amongst the many American students in Montpellier doing internships, once a month FAC sends a speaker, accompanied by English-speaking adolescents, into French high schools to give talks in English. “The majority of these French high school students have never met an American before,” said Ms. Franklin. “It’s especially interesting for them to meet one who is about the same age as them.”

This year the talks were based on the history of American music. Working with a Connecticut-based company, FAC sends hundreds of French au pairs to the USA every year, although the numbers of English-speaking au pairs being placed in France has decreased over recent years. Ms Franklin said: “I think with the internet many candidates find placements on-line or with specialized au pair agencies. Au pairs placed through FAC have a tremendous advantage in that they are immediately able to make new friends through our calendar of events and our Wednesday afternoon tea parties. We take care of them like family and Montpellier is an exquisite area to make your au pair experience. Young mothers who were once au pairs with us, now contact us to find au pairs for their families.”

For ten years, FAC has been participating in the Camp America program, sending about 70 young people aged 18 - 25 to summer camp jobs for 3 - 4 months in the USA - a “tremendously popular program,” FAC manager Bernadette Fitzgerald said.”

In Montpellier, summer day camps for learning English are held for kids, in younger and older age-groups. Along with an array of day trips, the older participants put together a newspaper and a DVD that they post on Youtube at the week’s end. There are musicians on the FAC staff who can help with composing music for the DVDs. Other day trips this year included a trip to an zoo, a water activities day and a trip to an impressionist art gallery.

Americans Peter and Eric Martin, 14 and 11, said they were happy to attend the camp even though they were the only native English-speakers there. Here for the summer with their working parents from the University of Florida, the boys wanted to integrate and have some fun.

Peter, who studies Spanish rather than French at school in the States, said, “It took a couple of days to make friends but then it was fine. I don’t speak much French, so it was a relief to be in an English-speaking environment again. The French kids talk softer and closer than Americans do. I found myself backing away at first. They’d take a step closer and I’d take one back.”

Peter will go home with a love of French cuisine. “When I told a French girl in the group how much I liked French food, she surprised me. She said that she was bored with it and preferred McDonald’s!” So much for the cultural exchange!