Kambiz Ghazinour

French Language and Culture—FSL Intermediate (In Progress)

When he was just five years old and living in his native country of Iran, Kambiz Ghazinour heard his older cousin speaking French.

"It sounded so lovely to me... it made me want to speak the language and learn the culture," says Kambiz, a computer science PhD candidate at the University of Calgary.

Although Kambiz has a very full schedule as a researcher, teacher, and student, he has chosen to spend some of his valuable personal time pursuing the Certificate in French Language and Culture—FSL (French as a Second Language) Intermediate.

French is Kambiz's third language. English—which he learned at school in Iran—is his second. His first is Farsi.

Kambiz believes that being conversant in French will open doors to future research opportunities in other parts of Canada and Europe. While that is important to him, it is not his only reason for studying French and expanding his knowledge of the French culture. His greatest motivation is the enjoyment and relaxation he gets from the program, and the opportunity to honour his childhood wish.

"The flexibility of the evening courses is great," he says. "After a busy day, I'm able to take these classes for myself. It's unbelievable how fast the hours go for me."

"The environment is so welcoming. There is such diversity in the class. People come from every walk of life. You see all ages. You can't help but feel like you're part of a large family."

Kambiz is delighted with his experience in the French program and takes every opportunity to encourage others to enrol. "I recommend these courses to my students all the time."

"Since I'm also a teacher," he says, "I can see that the instructors are really doing an excellent job. They are knowledgeable and approachable, and they are using supplementary materials, which is a great way to help students learn."

He also notes the satisfaction of his fellow students. "You can see such great spirit in the students. They can't wait to enrol in their next course. They're ready as soon as the next course becomes available."

Kambiz moved to Canada from Iran in 2005. Initially, he went to the University of New Brunswick where he achieved his Master's in Computer Science. When he was approached with PhD offers, he and his wife chose to move west to the University of Calgary where Kambiz majors in data privacy.

Read more stories