Clueless American Traveling through France and Italy
Apr 11th, 2014, 07:00 PM
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Clueless American Traveling through France and Italy
Hello.
I'm a 19yr old american female and I am going to be a Au Pair in Nice, France for the summer. The family also spends 3 weeks of August in Puglia, Italy I believe at Torre Lapillo. I will have nights and weekends off. My concerns are language barriers. I'm attempting to pick up on french but I am not doing very well...do many people know english in France/Italy? Also where should I visit when I have weekends off? I'd really like to visit Paris and the Cinque Terre. I am still trying to understand the train/metro system. I'm concerned about getting around and traveling without knowing much of the language. Any tips?
I'm a 19yr old american female and I am going to be a Au Pair in Nice, France for the summer. The family also spends 3 weeks of August in Puglia, Italy I believe at Torre Lapillo. I will have nights and weekends off. My concerns are language barriers. I'm attempting to pick up on french but I am not doing very well...do many people know english in France/Italy? Also where should I visit when I have weekends off? I'd really like to visit Paris and the Cinque Terre. I am still trying to understand the train/metro system. I'm concerned about getting around and traveling without knowing much of the language. Any tips?
Apr 11th, 2014, 07:28 PM
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Learn about trains here: http://www.seat61.com/
Apr 11th, 2014, 07:38 PM
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If you have a smart phone there are lots of apps that would probably be useful. Google them.
Learn some common phrases for both languages. When you go into shops in France the custom is to greet the shopkeeper. 'Bonjour, is all you need. And say thank you and goodbye as you leave. It is also considered polite to ask the shopkeeper to show you the merchandise you are interested in, rather than start rifling through clothes etc yourself which is what we do here. Paying for things can be tricky without any language but the shopkeeper will print the receipt for you so that you can read how much you need to pay.
You will usually be able to find someone who speaks some English. Especially if you are in fairly touristy areas.
Learn some common phrases for both languages. When you go into shops in France the custom is to greet the shopkeeper. 'Bonjour, is all you need. And say thank you and goodbye as you leave. It is also considered polite to ask the shopkeeper to show you the merchandise you are interested in, rather than start rifling through clothes etc yourself which is what we do here. Paying for things can be tricky without any language but the shopkeeper will print the receipt for you so that you can read how much you need to pay.
You will usually be able to find someone who speaks some English. Especially if you are in fairly touristy areas.
Apr 11th, 2014, 07:42 PM
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For places to go, there are no shortage of guidebooks describing what is available in the area. Fodors and Frommers are probably for older adults. Rick Steves for somewhat younger people, and Lonely Planet for people around your age group.
There are many places to visit along the coast around Nice. Provence is just to the north, but may be it appeals more to older adults.
As for language, the French Riviera is visited by a mass of foreign people. You can easily get around without speaking French. HOWEVER, why would you want to let go an enviable opportunity to learn language in situ being handed to you on a silver plate? Will you be taking French lessons in Nice?
If you are asking for advice in learning French wherever you are now, it would help if you tell us what you are doing now and what you are having problem with. Are you in college now? If so are you taking French in school?
There are many places to visit along the coast around Nice. Provence is just to the north, but may be it appeals more to older adults.
As for language, the French Riviera is visited by a mass of foreign people. You can easily get around without speaking French. HOWEVER, why would you want to let go an enviable opportunity to learn language in situ being handed to you on a silver plate? Will you be taking French lessons in Nice?
If you are asking for advice in learning French wherever you are now, it would help if you tell us what you are doing now and what you are having problem with. Are you in college now? If so are you taking French in school?
Apr 11th, 2014, 07:50 PM
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<i>Clueless American Traveling through France and Italy
Posted by: DanielleLillis on Apr 11, 14 at 11:00pm
My concerns are language barriers. I'm attempting to pick up on french but I am not doing very well...do many people know english in France/Italy? I am still trying to understand the train/metro system. I'm concerned about getting around and traveling without knowing much of the language. Any tips?</i>
Tip: learn French. At your age you can pick it up easily. These are golden moments. Make the effort. You'll never regret it. You might find night classes available in Nice. That is a popular resort for Brits so many locals speak English.
You can't get very far from base camp on weekends, and travel is expensive. But for an illustrated introduction to the rails see http://tinyurl.com/eym5b.
Posted by: DanielleLillis on Apr 11, 14 at 11:00pm
My concerns are language barriers. I'm attempting to pick up on french but I am not doing very well...do many people know english in France/Italy? I am still trying to understand the train/metro system. I'm concerned about getting around and traveling without knowing much of the language. Any tips?</i>
Tip: learn French. At your age you can pick it up easily. These are golden moments. Make the effort. You'll never regret it. You might find night classes available in Nice. That is a popular resort for Brits so many locals speak English.
You can't get very far from base camp on weekends, and travel is expensive. But for an illustrated introduction to the rails see http://tinyurl.com/eym5b.
Apr 12th, 2014, 12:59 AM
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If the parents will sometimes be leaving the kids completely in your care in France and Italy, I think they should pay for language lessons for you, both now and while you are abroad, and investing in tapes and such for now. You need to be able to communicate in French and Italian in an emergency.
Apr 12th, 2014, 03:08 AM
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ciao, Danille - there you are, your first word of italian!
THere are many language schools in Nice, you might try to arrange with the family that you get the same time off every day so that you can enrol in one. THey normally have lessons in the morning or afternoon, so there ought to be something to suit.
That said, Nice is and has been for many years an international resort, so you should have no trouble with the language, as english is widely spoken. if you can start learning a few words now, that will bear dividends later.
As for Italy, you are not going to find that everyone speaks english in Puglia, but if you go to Rome for the weekend, you will find that most people do. The CT [Cinque Terre] is probably too far for a weekend, but Rome would be a possibility.
THere are many language schools in Nice, you might try to arrange with the family that you get the same time off every day so that you can enrol in one. THey normally have lessons in the morning or afternoon, so there ought to be something to suit.
That said, Nice is and has been for many years an international resort, so you should have no trouble with the language, as english is widely spoken. if you can start learning a few words now, that will bear dividends later.
As for Italy, you are not going to find that everyone speaks english in Puglia, but if you go to Rome for the weekend, you will find that most people do. The CT [Cinque Terre] is probably too far for a weekend, but Rome would be a possibility.
Apr 12th, 2014, 03:29 AM
#9
I love Maduria and Lecce (town centre with roman bits and cool churches to hide from the sun in) which are the real towns near Torre Lapillo, Taranto is a bit of a polluted Urban mess but there are big shops and the ancient island between the sea and the picollo mare is a joy of Greek/Roman medieval squalor with sailors in sailor suits wandering about.
There are buses in the area which are cheapish to get about.
From a short time in Torre Lapillo the place is basically a sea-side resort with few pleasures apart from sun, sea and sandwiches.
What you will find is that the people of the area are very friendly and very unlike the Northern European/North Americans that you know. Time and contract are not of much importance compared to keeping most people happy. Given that you will be enwrapped in a family for much of the time and or based in a tourist orientated area you may not meet this but it is there.
Italian, for me, is a little trickier than French because they speaker faster and swallow some of the letters. Even so, given that they are such similar languages you should
1) get hold of the Michael Thomas CDs which should be reasonably cheap (or download etc)
2) use You Tube to watch a bit of french or italian movies
3) go online and read a few newspapers
Alternatively if you get hold of the Rough Guides for the areas you will find some basic words, bus ordering etc at the back.
There are buses in the area which are cheapish to get about.
From a short time in Torre Lapillo the place is basically a sea-side resort with few pleasures apart from sun, sea and sandwiches.
What you will find is that the people of the area are very friendly and very unlike the Northern European/North Americans that you know. Time and contract are not of much importance compared to keeping most people happy. Given that you will be enwrapped in a family for much of the time and or based in a tourist orientated area you may not meet this but it is there.
Italian, for me, is a little trickier than French because they speaker faster and swallow some of the letters. Even so, given that they are such similar languages you should
1) get hold of the Michael Thomas CDs which should be reasonably cheap (or download etc)
2) use You Tube to watch a bit of french or italian movies
3) go online and read a few newspapers
Alternatively if you get hold of the Rough Guides for the areas you will find some basic words, bus ordering etc at the back.
Apr 12th, 2014, 04:20 AM
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The time in Italy will definitely be more of a stretch language wise - I don't think that part of Italy gets many english speaking tourists and it is quite a ways from more "touristed" regions. I would explore, before leaving the US, getting from there to maybe the Amalfi coast? Rome? train schedules should let you know how easy / how far you could go for a weekend. There will be more english as you go north.
Nice should be a wonderful base - there is much to do along that coast that should not be too pricey. There is an excellent bus system that radiates out from Nice for about 1E per trip! you can go all the way to Italy or up to hill towns.
You might want to try to build in some time at the end (when you will be feeling more comfortable) to add in some time in Italy (CT? VENICE!, Rome?) before leaving for home. Paris would probably be doable from Nice as a long weekend and if you pre-buy your rail tickets, not nearly as pricey (at least for the travel). The train system will be your friend but more and more you need to pre-buy for good deals. Besides trying to learn some of the language before summer, study the train system too. DebitNM gives a good website, then "play around" on the internet to get familiar with schedules and fares.
Have a wonderful summer, I'm jealous of your opportunity!
Nice should be a wonderful base - there is much to do along that coast that should not be too pricey. There is an excellent bus system that radiates out from Nice for about 1E per trip! you can go all the way to Italy or up to hill towns.
You might want to try to build in some time at the end (when you will be feeling more comfortable) to add in some time in Italy (CT? VENICE!, Rome?) before leaving for home. Paris would probably be doable from Nice as a long weekend and if you pre-buy your rail tickets, not nearly as pricey (at least for the travel). The train system will be your friend but more and more you need to pre-buy for good deals. Besides trying to learn some of the language before summer, study the train system too. DebitNM gives a good website, then "play around" on the internet to get familiar with schedules and fares.
Have a wonderful summer, I'm jealous of your opportunity!
Apr 12th, 2014, 05:03 AM
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You do know that you cannot be in France and Italy for a period of more than 90 days, don't you? This is true for American tourists; I am thinking it's the same for an au pair??
I also assume the family are English speaking?
I also assume the family are English speaking?
Apr 12th, 2014, 06:04 AM
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Can I recommend a couple of good books for understanding better French culture? They are both in English. "French or Foe" by Polly Platt and "Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong" by Nadeau and Barlow. They might be a bit dated now but will give you a context that can help make you feel more comfortable. Enjoy your trip!
Apr 12th, 2014, 06:53 AM
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There's a special visa for au pairs:
http://www.consulfrance-chicago.org/spip.php?article677
http://www.consulfrance-chicago.org/spip.php?article677
Apr 12th, 2014, 07:08 AM
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Are you sure you will really be an au-pair? Do you have a contract?
You might like to have a look at http://www.thebestaupair.com/en/info...in-france.aspx
According to the website, you have to be given time off for language classes, although you pay for them yourself
You might like to have a look at http://www.thebestaupair.com/en/info...in-france.aspx
According to the website, you have to be given time off for language classes, although you pay for them yourself
Apr 12th, 2014, 07:18 AM
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Dukey1 on Apr 12, 14 at 10:10am
You are saying that speaking French was not a stated requirement for this job????
I was concerned about that too. Basic French seems to be required for an au-pair. I suppose that "basic" is a vague term
You are saying that speaking French was not a stated requirement for this job????
I was concerned about that too. Basic French seems to be required for an au-pair. I suppose that "basic" is a vague term
Apr 12th, 2014, 07:41 AM
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It would be impossible to visit the Cinque Terre on a weekend from Torre Lapillo. It would take over 12 hours to get there by bus and train. Even Salerno, near the Amalfi Coast, is more than six hours by bus and train, and then you'd have to take a bus or boat to the Amalfi Coast from there. This part of Italy is not well connected to points north. Anyway, in August, both the Cinque Terre and the Amalfi Coast will be sinking under the weight of the tourists, so it's not altogehter a bad thing.
I would try to find some nearby places to explore on your weekends off. I'm not terribly familiar with Puglia, but maybe Otranto would be a nice place to spend a weekend. I know lots of Italians go there for their summer holidays. Lecce is famous for its churches and palazzos in baroque style, if that would interest you.
I would try to find some nearby places to explore on your weekends off. I'm not terribly familiar with Puglia, but maybe Otranto would be a nice place to spend a weekend. I know lots of Italians go there for their summer holidays. Lecce is famous for its churches and palazzos in baroque style, if that would interest you.
Apr 12th, 2014, 09:59 AM
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Get the Let's Go student guides to find the student areas/cafes and bars where you will be staying. Will give you places to hang out, a way to make friends to do things with and most will have at least basic english.
However, in residential areas you are liable to meet many more people with little or no english - so at least learn the basic polite phrases and learn how you are expected to behave:
Always greet people on entering or exiting a store
Do not pick up any merchandise yourself - always ask someone to show it to you - even in a street market
You should be able to pick up a reasonable amount of French in a couple of months with some sort of recorded program. Or, see if you can find a conversational French class as a nearby high school or junior college (you need that - not heavy duty grammar lessons - they should be a painless part of the repetition).
However, in residential areas you are liable to meet many more people with little or no english - so at least learn the basic polite phrases and learn how you are expected to behave:
Always greet people on entering or exiting a store
Do not pick up any merchandise yourself - always ask someone to show it to you - even in a street market
You should be able to pick up a reasonable amount of French in a couple of months with some sort of recorded program. Or, see if you can find a conversational French class as a nearby high school or junior college (you need that - not heavy duty grammar lessons - they should be a painless part of the repetition).
Apr 12th, 2014, 12:59 PM
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bvlenci,
Presumably the OP wants to go to le Cinque Terre for a weekend from NICE, not Puglia.
Am I only the person who doubts that many of the people saying that the OP can easily pick up two foreign languages don't speak foreign languages themselves?????
Fess up folks. I have never heard any of you boasting about speaking 2 other languages and you boast about everything else about yourselves.
A lot of people have tremendous difficulty learning another language, and it has nothing to do with age (except for pre-schoolers).
As a tourist, the OP will get by just fine without French or Italian. It is the responsibility of the parents to make sure whomever is caring for their kids in Italy and France can truly take care of them in Italy and France.
Presumably the OP wants to go to le Cinque Terre for a weekend from NICE, not Puglia.
Am I only the person who doubts that many of the people saying that the OP can easily pick up two foreign languages don't speak foreign languages themselves?????
Fess up folks. I have never heard any of you boasting about speaking 2 other languages and you boast about everything else about yourselves.
A lot of people have tremendous difficulty learning another language, and it has nothing to do with age (except for pre-schoolers).
As a tourist, the OP will get by just fine without French or Italian. It is the responsibility of the parents to make sure whomever is caring for their kids in Italy and France can truly take care of them in Italy and France.
Apr 12th, 2014, 02:28 PM
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<i>sandralist on Apr 12, 14 at 4:59pm
Am I only the person who doubts that many of the people saying that the OP can easily pick up two foreign languages don't speak foreign languages themselves?????
Fess up folks. I have never heard any of you boasting about speaking 2 other languages and you boast about everything else about yourselves.</i>
Fess up. Where is it written that she can learn two foreign languages? Several of us commented that she can learn French in three months. I learned enough in a half year in Paris and Geneva to get by, at a much older age. Italian in three weeks is not possible.
Maybe a little attitude adjustment on your part is in order. What you consider bragging is simply fact. I can also get by in Nederlands and German. I've lived there.
Am I only the person who doubts that many of the people saying that the OP can easily pick up two foreign languages don't speak foreign languages themselves?????
Fess up folks. I have never heard any of you boasting about speaking 2 other languages and you boast about everything else about yourselves.</i>
Fess up. Where is it written that she can learn two foreign languages? Several of us commented that she can learn French in three months. I learned enough in a half year in Paris and Geneva to get by, at a much older age. Italian in three weeks is not possible.
Maybe a little attitude adjustment on your part is in order. What you consider bragging is simply fact. I can also get by in Nederlands and German. I've lived there.
