French language and culture are
said to portray love and indeed it is really lovely to be a part of anything
French (not to mention French food!). This was the most unusual CAS activity I
ever undertook in every aspect. I am studying Hindi as my second language in
IBDP and given the indigenous inclination many students have opted for the same. However our school just like any other IB
school offers other language Bs. This time the French day celebration was
supposed to be organized by the IB students but unfortunately there was only
one candidate for French in IBDP – my class mate Shradha. She was really
falling alone of organizing the event. Therefore our French teacher Ms Varsha
approached my help. She asked me if I could organize and conduct the French Day
event. I had studied French during my Cambridge Checkpoint course but it had
been quite a long time since I left it. Nevertheless, I saw it as a really
wonderful challenge. I asked my
coordinator Ms Vijayalaxmi and she consented by saying that this was a service
not only to a group of students who wished to express the language they had learned
but to the entire French culture itself. Thus, with that thought in mind I decided to accept this challenge helping
the French Day celebration.
Suddenly my class mate Rucha
Verma also expressed her wish to contribute to this service. I was really
amazed to see her audacity since she was a student of Hindi as well and had
never learned French. I felt that she was more confident she could do it than
me. This positive approached not only helped her in co-hosting the event with
me but also encouraged me to pull it off. I
realised that the characteristics and attitude which she had motivated all of
us involved in the event. I believe it is something which we all need to do
to work in adverse conditions. However, this event needed more than just
motivation.
I was supposed to speak French
that matched the level of the French students and at the same time sustained
the dignity of French language and culture. The French celebrate is day by the
name Bastille Day and it is one of the most scenic events in France. Although I
had agreed to contribute to this event when I thought over it after going home
I was forced to ask myself if what I was
doing was ethical. There would have been no question if I were helping an
English, Hindi or even Marathi event but I wasn’t learning French officially
nor did I have proper knowledge of it. In
such a circumstance would it be moral to host a show and organise it? I had
this sense of injustice lingering in my mind and I had to remove it. I thought
that if I could get my French as good as at least the students then I won’t be
doing anything unfair. However, I did not have much time, certainly not to take
French lessons. I researched the internet for some brief resources on French
and practiced speaking it as authentically as possible. However I felt that it
wasn’t possible entirely be authentic about what I was doing.
I had to communicate fluently in
French in order to conduct the program and although the prompts could be
prepared prior to the event I need to be ready to improvise. I wasn’t really
sure how I would do that if situations demanded. I was a little nervous at
first but as the program got going I became easier and more relaxing. I became more confident about hosting in
French.
I felt that this activity made me
a better human since I was serving a language which was not known to me. I believe
this is sort of altruism we are expected to develop and I was really glad that
I got and opportunity to be a part of such a wonderful experience.
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