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(From 2nd from left): Chan Kai Ian, Li Wenjing, and Ho U Teng went to study in France in mid-July

Lately three students of the University of Macau (UM) went to France for a three-week study programme on scholarships awarded by the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macao. They said they would avail themselves of this golden opportunity to enhance their French proficiency and savour the country’s hallmark elegance and romance as well the profound French culture.

Awarded by the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macao to local tertiary students who study French and achieve excellence at The Alliance Française De Macao, the scholarships aim to encourage students to go to France to improve their French. Of the four recipients this year, three are from UM. They are Ho U Teng of the Faculty of Education majoring in English, Chan Kai Ian of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities majoring in English Communication, and master’s student Li Wenjing of the Faculty of Law. The trio left for Montpellier, a southern city in France, in mid-July for a three-week study programme at the Institut Linguistique du Peyrou. Apart from language and grammar courses, they will also have ample opportunities to visit different sites and interact with the locals to gain first-hand experience of the profound French culture as well as the country’s captivatingly elegant and romantic flavour.

Passionate about literature, theatre and translation, Ho U Teng chose to study English at UM because of its multi-lingual learning environment. He studies French in his spare time, hoping that the knowledge of the language can give him direct access to the colorful French culture. He relished the trip, saying that he hoped to meet students from around the world, broaden his horizons, and learn first-hand about the French literature, art and theatre as well as French people’s way of life.

Chan Kai Ian’s dream is to become a professional journalist. Being a journalist means that one needs to meet and interview people from different countries, so mastery of a foreign language can be a real plus. Chan studies French during her spare time. She said that while acquiring a foreign language is not a piece of cake, the progress from not knowing the ABC of the language to being able to understand some relatively easy articles can be enormously gratifying and makes all the effort worthwhile. Asked about the trip to France, she said she hoped to make some friends there and feel the artistic atmosphere at local art festivals.

Li Wenjing’s study focuses on European Union Law. A diligent student with a punishingly packed schedule, Li needs to devour a sea of literature on the subject. Her gradual progress in the French language has made data collection and study much easier since a portion of the literature is written in French. A long-time fan of French movies, Li said watching movies has not only become her favorite way of improving French, but is also a stress-reducer for her. She expressed gratitude to The Alliance Française De Macao for giving them this wonderful opportunity, adding that she would treasure this opportunity so as not to fail the high expectations of them.