Manitoba-Quebec Exchange Program Improves the Lives of Many Students

French is the second official language in Canada and is a very important language for all Canadians to have some knowledge about and learn basic conversational skills. Regarding this reason and many reasons like developing the bilingual identity of the students, the Manitoba government offers students in high school the opportunity to experience the culture and language of Quebec in an exchange program offered at the lowest possible costs.

This program is an exchange program where students from Quebec will come to Manitoba from September to December to live with their Manitoban families while attending school in Manitoba. When December is over, the Manitoban student will fly to Quebec with the Quebecor student and attend school in Quebec. They will live their daily activities surrounded by the language and culture of Quebec for three months.

Many French teachers advise their students to take this program because this program will help the students improve their French language skills drastically. “Every year, I tell my students about the different French programs that they can be involved in, and one of them is the Manitoba-Quebec Exchange Program. I think getting out to the middle of a place where everybody speaks French and barely any English is heard will fuel their vocabulary and improve their accent. They will learn daily idioms used in the culture,” said a teacher at A Manitoban school.

This program can be challenging for students initially, but it won’t be long until students eventually get used to the foreign environment. “My friends in French class always ask me how my French speaking is so fluent and very good, and I always give the main reason, and it’s the exchange program I did in grade nine. My French improved greatly, and I think this course will help many students improve their bilingualism. I’m proud to have this skill, and I think students should for sure try out this program because it’s hundred percent worth it.” said a student at Fort Richmond Collegiate.

– Halla Alhamed, U Multicultural