Lana Gouda 

Undergraduate Recipient, Department of Political Science
Guiliano Fellow, Winter 2025

The Power of Language in Politics (Nice, France) 

Thanks to the Guiliano Global Fellowship, I embarked on an unforgettable journey to the French Riviera, where I enrolled in an intensive French language course. Assomeone deeply passionate about cross-cultural connections and the role of language in politics,this was a perfect opportunity to strengthen my French skills in preparation for a career ininternational relations. I dedicated my empty winter session to improving my proficiency in alanguage I had a basic knowledge of.

At the Alliance Française, classes were from Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 1PM. The first three hours followed a standard curriculum, while the final hour was an intensive session focused on practicing our vocab, French in real-world scenarios, and dictation. One ofthe main rules was that we could only use French in the classroom, which was challenging atfirst until I found myself slowly participating more and getting more comfortable with my skills.The Alliance Francaise dida great job of making learning accessible, fun, and usable.

Outside the classroom, I prioritized immersing myself in French culture and regularly using the language. I attended “Conversation cafes” offered by the Alliance, where I engaged in casual discussions with locals and fellow students. I also explored Nice, Monaco, and Menton with new friends, using French in everyday interactions, from ordering at restaurants to shopping and attending workshops. This aspect of my immersion experience was truly essential as it forced me to apply my language skills in real-life situations and boosted my confidence in my French.

My cultural immersion extended to visiting iconic landmarks and museums like the MatisseMuseum. My friends and I challenged ourselves to read paintings and installation excerpts inFrench. I also visited Farmers' markets, local shops, bookstores, cafes, festivals, and events (likea soccer game!), embracing every opportunity to interact with locals and native speakers.Through these experiences, I realized that learning a language is not about the vocabulary or thegrammar but about understanding people, their culture, and their history. 

These three weeks not only improved my language skills but also ensured that French remains anactive part of my life. Today, I continue practicing through movies, books, music, and, of course,Duolingo! Most importantly, this experience reinforced my passion for citizen diplomacy andreaffirmed my commitment to my career path. None of this would have been possible withoutthe generous support of the Guiliano Global Fellowship, and I will always be grateful for thistransformative opportunity.