A woman talks about her educational experience at the French Institute of
Athens.
Res.: So, you finished Junior High School.
ΑΝ.: There I finished Junior High School at- in
Chalandri and at- at the French Institute.
Res.: The French Institute, tell me more about it.
ΑΝ.: Yes. The French Institute was, eh, fortuitous- it
chanced to me. When I finished Primary School. It was at the First- First
Primary School of Chalandri. I had attained a ten. I was among the good
students and I had attained a ten. And the French Institute, to those children
who had attained a ten in that year, offered a scholarship.
Res.: Mhm.
ΑΝ.: In order to learn French with much less money,
with a very- with a symbolic sum. Therefore, we received a letter, my father
that is, received this letter, which said that “Your daughter, since she was
one of the best- eh… students of her class, we’re offering her this- this…
this scholarship”. So… We- My father then didn’t usually know what language,
let’s say, to mhm- learn. The money was little. We could, let’s say, afford
it.
Res.: Mhm.
ΑΝ.: Even with thirty drachmas per month, so you can
understand. Ehm… And he asked someone who knew, better than us, who was an
educated man and knew and he tells him “We received this, let’s say, what,
should I send her, should I not”. He said to him, because he knew many a
language, “If this child is to learn ma- more than one language, she ought to
start with French, which is the hardest. If she’s to learn one though, then
she ought to learn English”. Therefore, I went to French. And this was the
best thing which happened to me, generally. (Laughs).
Res.: (Laughs)
ΑΝ.: Because mhm I learned very good French.
Res.: Mhm.
ΑΝ.: I completed it up to supérieur, there at the
French Institute. And ehm… here where I came, as a French-speaking place, it
opened doors for me. All the doors.
Res.: (Laughs)
ΑΝ.: All the doors.
