For an average American, going to France is a fun and special trip over spring break that allows them to experience culture of a foreign country. For French teacher Nadège Cantu, a trip to France is a trip home. Cantu is originally from Nord Pas de Calais, France, and has lived in the United States for 11 years.
When Cantu first came to the United States, she was an exchange student in the states because she wanted to teach English in France. She taught at French emersion schools and colleges all around the country. Then, as her education progressed in the states and France, Cantu changed her mind and decided she wanted to teach French in the United States.
“I notice that people in the United States are very interested in French,” Cantu said. “People really want to learn and are passionate about the language, and I feel that here at Liberty too.”
Although Cantu is submersed in French culture in the classroom and teaches her mother language, she still misses her friends, family and the food. There aren’t that many French restaurants in the area, and Cantu says she misses food such as crème fraiche and other dairy dessert yogurts.
As well as different types of food, the social lives that people have in the states are very different from how they are in France. In the States, Cantu has noticed that people seem to always be in a rush to go everywhere and tend to keep to themselves more because of this.
“Over here, we are all so busy,” Cantu said. “In France we seem to take a little more time to be with our friends. People live such fast paced lives here, so it’s harder to have deep relationships.”
Cantu says that being away from her home for so long is difficult, but the culture here at Liberty makes it all a little easier.
“Everybody is so supportive here,” Cantu said. “Students are very nice and really want to learn, which makes my time here much better and it makes it much easier to teach French.”