If proof were needed that the teaching business is thriving in France, then look no further than Expolangues, the five-day language and culture fair taking place at La Villette at the end of January. As the Euro is crowned king of European currencies, linguistic boundaries as well as monetary ones are crumbling, and with over 300 exhibitors, including language schools, publishers, cultural centers and travel companies, Expolangues '99 is the place to keep up to date in this dynamic field. If you want more than just people trying to sell you things, then check out the full program of workshops, conferences and performances, plus the extensive multimedia area where you can try out the latest CD-ROMs and even surf the Internet for free. French is the language of honor this year and according to the organizers, the aim is to bring together more than 50 francophone countries from around the world. There are always numerous competitions and prizes range from magazine subscriptions to fully-inclusive study holidays abroad. Visitors can try out the free courses in Russian, Arabic or Tibetan, and why not test your level in French, English, Spanish, German or Italian while you're there? Also represented this year is Radio France International, which broadcasts in 17 languages. Listen to the programs being recorded and then chat to the RFI journalists about their languages and their cultures. More than 35,000 people went to last year's fair, so it can get very crowded. Arrive early to avoid the crush. Expolangues, Jan 27 to 31, Grande Halle de la Villette, Parc de la Villette, 19e, Metro Porte de Pantin, 40F/30F, free for language teachers. The general public is invited to the salon Jan 28-30, 10am to 7pm, and Jan 31, 10am to 6pm. |
