I Tried Institut Français London as a Busy Adult — Was It Worth It?

What the French (and Mbappé) Taught Me About Not Performing for Anyone

This week's Podcast connected Kylian Mbappé, a 1942 French novel, and a stereotype the French deal with constantly — being called rude when they're really just being direct.  We go deeper into Mbappé's career-long reputation (not just one match), my own experiences with the French "rude" stereotype — including a story from my university exchange in France that still sticks with me — and the harder question underneath all of it: where's the actual line between authenticity and just being inconsiderate? 📺 Watch the original YouTube video: https://youtu.be/lp7mn4bQg2A 📚 Get a copy of L'Étranger/The Outsider here: (This is an affiliate link — a small percentage supports the channel at no extra cost to you.) 🇬🇧 English version: https://amzn.to/4pvZnyK 🇫🇷 French version: https://amzn.to/4aWMesl 💌 Want more deep dives like this before they become a video? Join my newsletter: https://rachelwmak.com/newsletter/ #Mbappe #France #FrenchCulture #Podcast #LEtranger #Camus #Francophile Support the show [https://www.paypal.me/rachelwmak] - - -  🧡Support the show [https://www.paypal.me/rachelwmak] Hosted by Rachel W. Mak — creator of Rachel mais Rachelle en français 🎬 Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@rachel_mais_rachelle [https://www.youtube.com/@rachel_mais_rachelle] 🌍 More reflections & updates: rachelwmak.com/podcast [http://www.rachelwmak.com/podcast] 💌 Say bonjour: hello@rachelwmak.com [hello@rachelwmak.com]

I Lost My French Routine, Then I Lost Myself

I had this really weird dream. Twice, two nights in a row. Nobody was chasing me, nobody was blaming me — and yet I woke up both mornings feeling completely wrecked. It took me a while to figure out why. This episode is about the months of chaos that quietly pulled me away from my French routine, the fear I didn't even know I was carrying, and the strange, unexpected way I finally understood what my own dream was trying to tell me. If you've ever felt like you're not doing enough, not disciplined enough, not "there" yet to start the thing you love — this one's for you. Share it with someone who needs to hear it. And come say hi — I'd love to keep walking this growth-and-French journey with you. Support the show [https://www.paypal.me/rachelwmak] - - -  🧡Support the show [https://www.paypal.me/rachelwmak] Hosted by Rachel W. Mak — creator of Rachel mais Rachelle en français 🎬 Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@rachel_mais_rachelle [https://www.youtube.com/@rachel_mais_rachelle] 🌍 More reflections & updates: rachelwmak.com/podcast [http://www.rachelwmak.com/podcast] 💌 Say bonjour: hello@rachelwmak.com [hello@rachelwmak.com]

I Tried Institut Français London as a Busy Adult — Was It Worth It?

After a month of silence, I'm back — and I have a very good reason for disappearing. Instead of my usual self-study routine, I did something completely different: I enrolled in the Saturday Express course at Institut Français in South Kensington, London. Five full Saturdays. A real classroom. Real classmates. And a very honest wake-up call about where my French actually stands. In this episode, I share: ✅ How I learned French from A1 to A2 as a busy adult with zero immersive environment ✅ How a random conversation with my French tutor led me to Institut Français ✅ What my first day of French school actually felt like (spoiler: very nervous) ✅ The real pros AND cons of group language learning vs. self-study ✅ What I discovered about my speaking and listening skills ✅ Whether I'd do it again — and the smarter way to approach it 🎁 FREE French Vision Board (desktop + mobile wallpaper): Get my French Fluency Vision Board → https://rachelwmak.com/newsletter/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbTh0RDQxTmQzdWhnYkNrblpxQ0dmQ0FNNWZxUXxBQ3Jtc0tuOG91RjJSVWl3TEFTZmlvOGIwNHhNMVBBczFlREc3TWdLNk1CMFp5RV95bE1GNkgxUXhReEpNR1VxYWpXWFpvcjZ6d01GMGZiSUZjc0ZlcUNBTDF0ajVCclYtQW0yUHl0VDlvWHdmOXpKa2pxN0FoZw&q=https%3A%2F%2Frachelwmak.com%2Fnewsletter%2F&v=BkBF5bLYBpA] 📺 Watch the full video on YouTube (includes the assessment, classroom footage & my French journal entry — can you understand it without subtitles?) https://youtu.be/BkBF5bLYBpA --- 🔗 LINKS MENTIONED - Institut Français London: https://www.institut-francais.org.uk - Saturday Express course: https://www.institut-francais.org.uk/french-courses/saturday-express/#/ - My 30-Day French Speaking Challenge (YouTube): https://youtu.be/WjGJU9LD6mQ - How I Learn French Without Living in France (YouTube): https://youtu.be/iROGBIXhlZc - Free French Vision Board download: https://rachelwmak.com/newsletter/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbTh0RDQxTmQzdWhnYkNrblpxQ0dmQ0FNNWZxUXxBQ3Jtc0tuOG91RjJSVWl3TEFTZmlvOGIwNHhNMVBBczFlREc3TWdLNk1CMFp5RV95bE1GNkgxUXhReEpNR1VxYWpXWFpvcjZ6d01GMGZiSUZjc0ZlcUNBTDF0ajVCclYtQW0yUHl0VDlvWHdmOXpKa2pxN0FoZw&q=https%3A%2F%2Frachelwmak.com%2Fnewsletter%2F&v=BkBF5bLYBpA] --- 💬 LET'S CONNECT I'd love to know — what's YOUR biggest challenge as a French learner right now?  Speaking? Listening? Finding the time? If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review — it genuinely helps other  French learners and francophiles find this podcast. Merci beaucoup! 🇫🇷 #LearnFrench #FrenchLearning #AdultLanguageLearner #InstitutFrançais  #FrenchInLondon #Francophile #LanguageLearningJourney Support the show [https://www.paypal.me/rachelwmak] - - -  🧡Support the show [https://www.paypal.me/rachelwmak] Hosted by Rachel W. Mak — creator of Rachel mais Rachelle en français 🎬 Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@rachel_mais_rachelle [https://www.youtube.com/@rachel_mais_rachelle] 🌍 More reflections & updates: rachelwmak.com/podcast [http://www.rachelwmak.com/podcast] 💌 Say bonjour: hello@rachelwmak.com [hello@rachelwmak.com]

The Real Reason French People Love Arguing

In this episode, I reflect on a real classroom moment from my university years in Hong Kong and how learning French later helped me understand it differently. From French philosophy and education to the famous thèse, antithèse, synthèse structure, this is a story about how culture quietly shapes our voice. It’s not about one culture being better than another — it’s about understanding why silence feels safe for some, and expression feels natural for others. If you love French culture, are learning French, or are curious about communication, identity, and critical thinking, this episode is for you.  🎁 Free Download: Get my French Fluency Vision Board → https://rachelwmak.com/newsletter/ [https://rachelwmak.com/newsletter/] 🎧 Recommended listening If you haven’t yet, you might enjoy the previous episode: Why French Culture Is So Irresistible to Me Support the show [https://www.paypal.me/rachelwmak] - - -  🧡Support the show [https://www.paypal.me/rachelwmak] Hosted by Rachel W. Mak — creator of Rachel mais Rachelle en français 🎬 Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@rachel_mais_rachelle [https://www.youtube.com/@rachel_mais_rachelle] 🌍 More reflections & updates: rachelwmak.com/podcast [http://www.rachelwmak.com/podcast] 💌 Say bonjour: hello@rachelwmak.com [hello@rachelwmak.com]

How I Manifested My French Fluency — With Practical Steps

In this episode, I share how I manifested my French fluency — not in a magical or unrealistic way, but through mindset shifts and real-life practices that genuinely worked for me and helped me build calm, confidence, and consistency in French. If you’re a French learner, a francophile, or someone who feels stuck despite years of learning, I hope this video gives you encouragement and a different way of seeing your journey. 🎁 Free Download: Get my French Fluency Vision Board → https://rachelwmak.com/newsletter/ [https://rachelwmak.com/newsletter/] Support the show [https://www.paypal.me/rachelwmak] - - -  🧡Support the show [https://www.paypal.me/rachelwmak] Hosted by Rachel W. Mak — creator of Rachel mais Rachelle en français 🎬 Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@rachel_mais_rachelle [https://www.youtube.com/@rachel_mais_rachelle] 🌍 More reflections & updates: rachelwmak.com/podcast [http://www.rachelwmak.com/podcast] 💌 Say bonjour: hello@rachelwmak.com [hello@rachelwmak.com]