Is 160 hours (+40 hours of cultural excursions) enough time to get a basic understanding of French?
I’m taking an intensive French language and culture course in France (Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne) for 8 weeks. I will be in the classroom for 160 hours and there is 40 hours of cultural excursions. As well, we are going to Paris, Lyon and Nice for a weekend each. I don’t speak any French at all right now, but I think I pick up on languages fairly easy. I’m familiar with French words, as I’m Canadian I see French on pretty much everything that has English wording on it, which might help me. And I’m passionate to learn French, which will also help. 8 weeks is the longest course offered. I’ll be 19 when I go, if that matters.
It does matter. At 19, you might still be young enough to absorb language like a sponge.
Take a look at Mexican immigrants. Even their youngest kids who aren’t anchor babies speak English pretty darn well. Their teenagers born in Mexico speak English with a hint of an accent. And the parents can barely string together a simple sentence.
I think you’ll probably learn more in the cultural excursions than in the classroom. So long as you don’t let the natives practice their English on you. But they’re French, so they probably won’t want to.