Four reasons to keep up your French

In the age of globalization, speaking French is a significant asset in many facets of life. Here are a few good reasons to maintain and improve the linguistic skills you have gained during your time spent in France.

AN INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE

With over 200 million French-speakers, French is spoken on five continents. It is an official language in more than 32 countries, including but not limited to Canada, Senegal, Luxembourg, Belgium, Cameroon, and Haiti. In addition, though not an official language in these areas, French is largely spoken in countries like Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Lebanon.

AN ASSET TO FINDING A JOB

When you speak the language of the fifth commercial power in the world, it gives you access to many more opportunities than if you only spoke English. You can apply for a job at one of the many international French companies, or you can find work as a translator or teacher. Furthermore, speaking French allows you to work in industries such as tourism and hospitality, or even in well-known international organizations.
Moreover, French is the second main language used in international relations. In the UN and NATO, French is both a working and an official language. It is also the language spoken in the cities of the major European institutions: Strasbourg, Brussels and Luxembourg.

A VAST FRENCH-SPEAKING MEDIA NETWORK

French-speaking media like TV5, France 24 and Radio France Internationale reach an audience all around the planet. Knowing how to read and understand French allows you to broaden the scope of news sources from which you receive your information. French also accounts for 5% of internet pages, ranking between sixth and eighth of the languages most widely used on the web.

DISCOVER FRANCE AND ITS RICH CULTURE

Novels by Victor Hugo and Marcel Proust, songs by Édith Piaf, films by Alain Delon… learning French allows Francophiles to tap into a magical world of literature, music, and movies.

It's also a way to better discover France, the most visited country in the world, and to travel more easily in the Francophone countries mentioned above – all countries which have diverse and beautiful cultures.