Student Talk: Kamlendra S. 'My favorite French verb is ETRE'

Kamlendra Pratap Singh

Licensed Tour Guide

       Favorite French Verb - 'Etre'

    Song: Savoir Aimer by Florent Pagny

"I speak English, Hindi and French. But I want to learn Russian and maybe Hebrew too'

Who am I?

My name is Kamlendra and I am a licensed tour guide from Agra. During my time in Pondy, I also catered to European tour groups. I'm geared up to arrange for tours across India with Pondy as the base.

MY FRENCH GROUP AT THE TAJ MAHAL 

Why did you choose French?

Because the French tourists come to India more than the others. And French is a famous language anyway. French wines and perfume are very famous.

My studies in French

I took a 3 month course at the Agra University and then I came to Pondicherry to study French.

ME AND A FRIEND ON THE PONDICHERRY SEA

My Experience With Delf

I gave my DELF A1 exam from Alliance Française de Jaipur. At that time, I did not even know what was A1 and A2. There was a French woman who was my jury for my oral production exam. It was the 1st time I saw a French person in my life. She was kind and trying to help me with gestures to speak but as I had a fever, I could not understand her expressions.

Why did you come to Pondy to learn French?

Agra is a landlocked city. I wanted to see the sea and live in a beautiful place near beaches. Also I heard from many people that it was easy to practice French here as there are so many French expats and retired folks. It's like a free language class which benefits both parties. Students improve listening skills and spoken French, while the French people experience life with locals. We go to concerts together, for walks on the promenade, for a coffee or drinks, drives to Auroville. We introduce our friends to them and they do the same, so the circle of friendship gets bigger. 

This is the true spirit of Indo-French friendship. Nothing comes closer.

PONDICHERRY AERIAL VIEW

A SWIM IN AUROVILLE

                                         Funniest Incidents in Class

Madame Geraldine asked us in Level 3. 'Il y un tigre dans la classe. Moi, j'ai peur. Qui n'a pas peur?' No one understood so she repeated it few times. Finally one guy Kuldeep answered, 'Euuuh.... le tigre (n'a pas peur)'

 Also one time we had to do a role play but I started laughing uncontrollably so the whole play was spoiled and we could not even start it.

How were you able to speak French with French people at a early stage in studies?

I see my self speaking French fluently one day. I do not feel shy speaking French to French people as they appreciate my efforts to speak. This has helped greatly. There is no substitute for actual conversations with French people.

ME AND AN ACTOR AT BONJOUR INDIA 2013

Your preferred teacher?

For me all were the same but I liked Madame Antoine the most. She was a comedian. She was joyful with a lively personality. 

Songs and Films I Like

I like the songs Si tu n'existe pas, 

Savoir Aimer (Florent Pagny), 

Pour un Flirt and 

Bonne Etoile.

Movies I love are l'Arnacouer, Indigene and Toi Moi Les Autres. I like Edouard Baer and Roman Duris. The most beautiful French actors are Romain Duris and Leila Bekhti.

ROMAN DURIS

LEILA BEKTHI

How can a student master a language?

You must sit in the library if you really want to learn. Reading is a must whether you understand what you read or not. There is no shortcut with languages.

Your favorite Verb in French

ETRE because this is the first verb I learnt with my heart.

STEPS AT ALLIANCE FRANCAISE

Thanks to Kamlendra for photos provided from album.

Student Interview: Kuldeep Gussain, Chef of Italian cuisine in Pondicherry.

Kuldeep Gusain

   Chef of Italian Cuisine

       Favorite French Verb - Adorer

    Song: Je t'aime - Lara Fabian

Kuldeep (extreme right) at his workplace

Why did you choose to learn French and not Spanish, German, etc?

I am a chef and I want to go to France and learn French cuisine especially since it is popular all over the world, and not  just in France. 

My studies in French

I did a course in Alliance Francaise (Dehradun), then I studied at Alliance Francaise Trivandrum. Although the teacher was a Malayali local, she had an excellent French accent with no native traces. The French staff there were very kind. At that time, I was working at ITC Park Hotel in Trivandrum so I often practiced speaking French with clients. 

Alliance Francaise Trivandrum - a wonderful cooking event

Last year, I took a course with Mr Jean Baptiste at Alliance francaise de Pondicherry. It was very useful because he was  a Frenchman and because of him, I improved my oral comprehension and pronunciation. He always spoke to us in an advanced level of French which helped us to learn new words. We often did role plays in French in class. Unforgettable moments! 

My Teacher Mr Jean-Baptiste

My Experiences With the DELF Exam

(Delf is an International Diploma in French by the French Ministry of Education. Read here for more information. The exams take place across the world 4 times a year)

I passed my DELF A1 in Alliance francaise Chandigarh, and DELF A2 in Alliance francaise de Trivandrum. In both these cities, it is compulsory to have at least one French national in the jury for the Oral Production exams.

You can't have 2 Indians in the jury even if they are Francophones or French teachers. 

Why is this a good idea:

• because students feel more confident when they are being evaluated by a French national who understands the nuances of the language.
• the French nationals in both my DELF exams were very supportive even when I was unable to find my vocabulary or create sentences. As soon as I entered, they smiled and welcomed me doing everything to make me comfortable.
• since DELF is an international certification, of course it makes sense to have a French native in the jury.

Me with the French Actor Edouard Baer at Bonjour India 2013

How I work on my French now:

I am in Pondicherry at the moment where I work in a Pasta Bar. This time I decided not to join the French classes. I decided to take an annual membership at Alliance francaise.

• I regularly sit in the library and read the French newspapers, magazines. 
• I listen to RFI (Radio French Internationale), music, watch movies. 
• I attend the movie screenings as well as French cultural programs. 
• Since French tourists and expats come to the library rooftop, I practice my French with them. I am improving my oral comprehension and conversation skills by speaking to them.

It's so wonderful to have all these facilities for just 1000 Rs for 1 year!

Thanks Kuldeep and Good Luck!

Learning French in Pondicherry

Pondicherry on the Map

Pondicherry is the last remnant of the French Empire in India where French is still spoken in addition to the local language Tamil. Students of all ages aspire to learn French here for different reasons.

You have:

- the tour guides from North India (Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh) who come to Pondy to take regular classes as well as strike up friendships, business opportunities and conversations with French tourists and expats.

- the Roman Catholic priests who learn French in the hopes of living in France and reciting the mass there.

- locals who want to marry a Franco Tamoul national and are obliged to learn French to get the papers. Thanks to Nicolas Sarkozy for this rule which made him unpopular with some here.

- and the rest who want to work in France - or for French companies in India.

This blog is a dedication to the students learning French, their motives, their experiences with French vocabulary, cinema, grammar, the famous DELF exams.

Keep in touch!