Experience Language: Experience Life!
Newsletter - May 2004

Bonjour and welcome to our May newsletter. Bonne lecture!

After reading our April edition, you may have thought the French were a little mean by taping a fish to somebody’s back. Well, this month, you will see how the French also have sweet and romantic traditions.

• 1st May – ‘La Fête du Muguet’
• ‘Le Muguet’ by Georges Brassens
• New courses in Guadeloupe
• French Language Meet up

In May, mostly on the 1st, French people offer their loved ones a ‘brin de muguet’ (lily of the valley) for good luck. If you ever spend the 1st May in France, you will notice people selling posies of lily of the valley at every street corner.

In the old times, a ball called ‘Le bal du Muguet’ would be organised for young people on 1st May. Girls would dress all in white and attach a ‘brin de muguet’ on their dress (for good luck). Boys and girls would spend a merry evening dancing and drinking ‘Maitrank’. Supposedly, dipping your lips in this wine on the 1st May would bring you happiness for the rest of the year. Isn’t that sweet?

George Brassens was a very famous poetic French singer. Here is an extract from the ‘Discours des Fleurs’.

« Le premier Mai, c’est pas gai,
Je trime a dit le muguet,
Dix fois plus que d’habitude,
Regrettable servitude.
Muguet, sois pas chicaneur,
Car tu me donnes du bonheur,
Pas cher à tout un chacun.
Brin d’muguet, tu es quelqu’un... »

The Experience Language team strongly believes that learning a language needs to be fun and exciting. With that in mind we are always on the look out for new courses that offer that little extra. We were very pleased last month to introduce three new courses in Guadeloupe:

• French and Kayak - Learn French while travelling, hiking, kayaking and exploring the island
• French and Creole Cooking – Learn French and enjoy a spicy event with a Creole cuisinière

Are you interested in practicing your French and meeting up with other people in your area who share this interest?

Click here for more information on French Language Meet up.

We wish you all a lovely month of May. Let’s hope the sun comes out a little more.
The Experience Language Team

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