FORO 2

Hello, my partner is called Yudy Andrea Godoy and is she from France.

France is the most famous tourist destination in the whole world. In France, workers can
spend fewer hours at work and take more vacations than in other countries, yet their
productivity levels are close to those in places like Germany and the United States. Most
French celebrations are national in nature, so there are hardly any local celebrations. In
addition, they tend to have a historical character. Some of the most popular are the
commemoration of the taking of the Bastille, the day of the Armistice or the Normandy
landings. In French gastronomy, cheese stands out. In each region they are specialists in
at least one type, to such an extent that it is estimated that there are more than 400
different varieties. Football is the most practiced sport.

By having friends from a distance or from other countries, you learn experience. Every
relationship is different and there is no single formula that works for everyone, because
each person needs different attentions. But there are some keys that we can all adapt
according to our possibilities, other languages are also practiced, we learn about
gastronomy, music, celebrations, traditions, dances, etc. And, in addition, there are new
perspectives, which give us the opportunity to know other ways of thinking and see what
the mentality of people who live in different realities is like.
1. Write a paragraph naming some tips to keep in touch with your pen pal, some of the
activities done to practice English and how English has been improving.
With my correspondence friend, we make English classes become much more real so I
can learn new vocabulary to communicate more easily with her. It does not matter which
country my friend comes from, as this helps me to discover her tastes, but also her way of
life. With each letter or message, I set myself to learn a new rule or a new word. For
example, I can choose to focus on adjectives, pronouns, or perfect tenses. On the other
hand, to progress even further, especially in the era of new technologies, we can connect
to a meeting by Skype to work on expression and listening comprehension.

2. What have you researched about your friend’s country and its most relevant facts?
I consider France to be much more than Paris, from the fairytale chateaux of the Loire
Valley to the lavender fields of Provence, and the celebrity-filled beaches of the French
Riviera. The gastronomy is famous worldwide and elegant wines are the perfect
complement to the alpine views and architectural masterpieces of the country.
Its most relevant facts are:

 France is the country that has been actively against wasteful garbage.
 Weddings in France are full of symbols. Like the four elements: an old accessory, a
new one, a borrowed one and a blue one. The old means the bond with the family,
the new the life that begins, the borrowed the good luck and happiness of the
couple and the blue symbolizes fidelity and purity.
 France was the ninth European country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2013.

3. What are the most significant “faux pas” (cultural rules and traditions) in your pen pal’s
country?
We must take into account:

 The French are very own with language. Manners are important to them so
tweeting at a stranger can turn out to be rude. This is a common mistake for
foreigners visiting France for the first time.
 In France, live snails should not be carried on high-speed trains. In fact, any animal
weighing less than 5 kg will have to have its own ticket.
 According to what I have seen in France it is forbidden by law to call a pig
Napoleon.
4. What should you know before traveling to that country?
Before traveling to France we must bear in mind that it is an excellent combination of
pictorial landscapes and dream cities and, as a nation, it is a milestone in modern history.
You should also take into account, good manners, goals, interest (music, art, bohemian,
monuments, history, shows), wear comfortable shoes, this is something fundamental to
take into account