Le coin des étudiants: Hayslee 

The inspiration to learn French took root in me when I was a toddler. It was the time I started learning ballet, as all the ballet terms were in French— “Plié, Tendu, Pirouette, Pas de bourrée …” I enjoyed and followed the little moves. Meanwhile, I liked watching Peppa Pig episodes, the most memorable one was about Peppa Pig and her family travelling in Paris. My dream was one day I could bring my mom to dance ballet under the Eiffel Tower! With this faith in our minds, we would like to find a good centre for me to learn French that can lead me to the professional pathway, that’s Alliance Française de Hong Kong.

My first lesson was during Covid time with teachers and classmates wearing masks, but I could feel the warmth of learning at AF. Time flies, I’ve been learning at AF for 3 years, I enjoyed the class so much! On top of regular study, we played Wordwall, we learnt some extra knowledge about the colours and we tasted French snacks together. Moreover, we made a gigantic poster about shops and directions, it was so fun, and we learnt many names for shops. Besides, we drew comics with a professional comic artists…Thanks to AF for providing such an interactive and interesting platform to immerse me into an enjoyable French learning environment.

I have a growing interest in French. When my primary school had modern language choices, I immediately picked to be in the French stream and engaged in more French activities. The learning experience at AF has inspired me to participate in activities such as my first attempts at French speech and music festivals. In my ABRSM vocal singing examination, I selected a traditional French song—Hebe as my foreign language song option and performed in Asia Students Arts Festival. Meanwhile, I joined the Hong Kong French Speech Competition for 2 consecutive years on the interesting poetry topics of chocolate and mouse, it was a wonderful experience to present my live speech in French language and I attained honour awards for both years. I felt honoured to be invited by school to perform my French speech poem to the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, Alliance Française de Hong Kong, officials of the EDB and media. Learning at AF has helped me to build confidence and courage to perform in front of the audience, and let me continue chasing my dream to travel to France. Combining my love of dance, it further fuels my wish to visit Paris and Nice. Those are places where Ms. Isadora Duncan, the mother of Modern Dance, lived and established her schools in the old days. Her legacy, spirits and experience deeply moved me, I would like to get a feel at where all the creative dances come from.

With step-by-step learning at AF from “le printemps” to “l'hiver”, I find myself building stronger and stronger passion in French language and culture, I try French food in my  daily life, I sing Silent Light in French during Christmas, I sing and dance to Avignon folk  songs, I borrow and read French books at AF and public libraries as a habit…whilst I  attained a subject award in French language at school. 

Exciting news to share—an incredible opportunity is just around the corner! I wrote a French  letter to a French school through my school and I may be able to go for a French study  tour next year. I hope to learn more about French arts and culture, speak and read more French, and make new friends there... all of which would be valuable to me. Also, I will  take the “Delf A1 Prim” this year and will continue studying French at AF with the well-structured teenage summer intensive course.

Hayslee in Alliance Française centre