Celebrating Francophone Culture

through World Carnival

 

 

Over 50 people have been shuttling in and out of the Humanities Gateway 1010 classroom on May 22 at the University of California, Irvine. As people dropped by to sample various macaroons and Brazilian sodas, they were stepping into a room that would soon be teaching them about Brazilian dances and mask

decorating. As Maryse Mijalski stepped behind the podium and

greeted the room in French her trivia game about Francophone

culture challenged groups of students to learn more than a fun

fact. 

 

 

Maryse Mijalski is a lecturer and Academic Coordinator in French

of the Department of European Languages and Studies at the

University of California, Irvine. Her passion for French has led her

to partner with the Education Abroad Program at UCI to teach

culture awareness of the French language.

 

 

Although the French language is found in different parts of the

world Mijalski reminded me that, “World Carnival is an event that

celebrates and encourages students to come and experience

some Francophone culture.” She described the event as an

opportunity for students to experience French and Francophone

culture outside of the classroom. In fact it’s a way for students

to immerse themselves in a different environment and to learn

about different cultures.

 

 

She shared that it’s the mission of the university to teach and

implement cultural awareness among students and faculty. Mijalski

stated, “In this day and age, with globalization, the interconnectedness

with different cultures, demands students to understand and be culturally aware.

 

Fellow colleague and French Lecturer at UCI, Sonia Suvelor, emphasized that the event was not just about covering French but countries like West Indies that share the French culture. Suvelor said, “We have to know that French is not just in France. The French culture is made up of other items and that there is this bridge between different cultures.”