Language exchange in Prilep

Do you know what language exchange is?

I had the chance to experiment this concept when I was in Erasmus in Poland in Wroclaw. I started my Erasmus adventure with lot of difficulties to express myself in English (of course I’m French ;)). I felt really uncomfortable to talk with other Erasmus people, especially when I was confronted with English native speaker.

Fortunately I found the group “Language exchange in Wroclaw” and I decided to exchange my French against English. I obtained many results and I finally chose to start with a young English teacher came from Australia. He had lived in France one year in the past and he wanted to continue to exercise his French with someone.

Our duo worked very well, we spoke in English the first part of the meeting and after we switched in French. He corrected all my mistakes and I did the same for him.

It was really easier for me to speak English with an unknown person, who was also there to practice and improve. We decided to meet one time each week, around a coffee or a lunch, and we ameliorated our respective level really fast.

I don’t say that I became suddenly a perfect English speaker but I was more and more comfortable to talk in English with people.

It’s really important to practise a foreign language with someone who can help you and correct your mistakes. And just the simple fact to listen proper English or any other language you want to learn, is already a chance to improve yourself.

That’s why after this good experience, my friends and I, decided to organize a similar concept in Prilep. Indeed we realized that lot of students in Prilep wished to improve a language that they learn at school like for example French, German or sometimes Spanish, but they don’t have many chance to speak it. For us, it is also important to speak and practice our English or try to improve our basic Macedonian and Prilep’s students have always a very good level in English.

We organize meetings two times each month in some bars. At the moment, we can offer only French and English but we are totally open for new languages to exchange. We decided to start with group meetings but when everybody will form a duo, they will be able to continue alone. We can also continue the group meetings as long as people want.

If you are interested here is the facebook link, feel free to join: https://www.facebook.com/groups/927691600608792/

We organize new group meeting tonight at 8:30 PM in Irish Pub, feel free to join us.

By Ameline Berthonnaud