Welcome to the new Serve The City Paris “Language & Culture Exchange Program”. This program is the same “Language Exchange” program we have offered for our beneficiaries and volunteers for the last 3 years, but with more emphasize on integration and cultural exchange.
What does the new format look like? Well to start, it’s at a new location. …We meet each Thursday night from 19H to 20:30 at Caféothèque Cafe, located at 52 rue L’Hotel de Ville 75004 (Metro Line 7 (Point Marie) or Metro Line 1 (St Paul).
Every Thursday night we have designed the workshops to be more of a ‘French Cultural Experience’, and not just about teaching the French language in it’s traditional manner.
We start with a 30 minute interactive lecture on the French language, specifically designed around a theme (how to talk to a grocery store manager, how to communicate about transportation options in Paris, how to ask for help from the police, how to communicate with a doctor), and other subjects relating to music, sports, cooking, French holidays, French law, etc. After the interactive lecture we break into 1 on 1 (or 2 on 2) conversations about the theme of the evening, between volunteers and members from our refugee community for 30 minutes.
For the last 30 minutes, STCP provides a main course of dinner for both our refugee beneficiaries and volunteers, but we do ask our volunteers to consider bringing items, such as a baguette, cookies, nuts, fruit, a salad or soft drinks.
There is absolutely no requirement to speak fluent French to participate, but it’s helpful if you have some grasp of the French language. (Many of our volunteers also practice their French with our beneficiaries). The goal and objective is to connect with our beneficiaries and show you care.
Each Thursday, there is a limit of 15 volunteers per night, so register in advance on our SERVENOW app. For more info…see https://www.servenow.app/. If you can’t download our ServeNow app, you may send an email to info@servethecity.paris requesting to join as well.
See you there!