Come summer 2019, assistant professor Dr. Antoinette Barffour, will be taking a group of students to Quebec to immerse themselves in French language and culture.

Barffour has taken students to France in the past, but this trip to Quebec will be her first.

MSU’s Study Away program offers advantages that students simply cannot get in the classroom.

Says Barffour, “It is a unique opportunity for students to be immersed in the target language and culture in a way that cannot be experienced in a formal language setting.”

In Quebec, the students will have the opportunity to practice speaking French in an authentic setting, not just with their peers, but with native French speakers.

Barffour elaborates that in this setting, “students become more confident and competent by interacting with both peers and natives.”

The Study Away program also offers students a chance to get over any anxieties or nervousness they may have over speaking a foreign language.

Barffour explained that “by visiting different sites in the host country and living with host families, students gain appreciation of different cultures and discover themselves in new ways.”