“You can speak a new language really quick when talking and making mistakes”, says Anaïs Larue (age 17). Between 2016 and 2020 she went to 3 camps in Ghent and last summer she tagged along as a trainee activity leader for the first time.
“I like all the Roeland songs”, she says. “As stupid as it may sound to an outsider, these songs really are a part of camp life, and they are a tremendous help when it comes to learning a language. I still know most of the songs by heart and now and then I listen to them again, just to stir up memories.”
“It happens that I’m not sure if a certain word needs a definite or indefinite article. I start to sing a song where that word appears in the lyrics, so I can find out what I was looking for. It really works for me!”
Was it your choice to join a camp or did your parents decide?
“My mother asked me if I was interested in going to a language camp when I was 12. I already juggled the idea of going to a school where the main language is Dutch. So, I signed up for a language camp. I did not switch schools then and there because I felt a little insecure. But last year, before entering the fifth grade of secondary school, I leapt. I now speak Dutch well enough to follow the courses in my new school.”
What is the main difference between a Roeland language lab and a lesson at school?
Anaïs: “It’s like comparing apples with oranges. At school I know beforehand what we are going to learn that day. It is a fixed program. At camp it is more about what we want to learn. The language labs start from our personal interests. The teachers have lunch with us, crack jokes, particpate in the games we play… that is a lot of fun.”
What is the nicest Roeland memory you can think of?
“When I think Roeland, I think ambiance. Two weeks of language vacation feel like a dream to me. It’s a carefree time, we’re enjoying ourselves all day long and I get to meet extraordinary, nice people there.”
“I broke my foot 2 months before the start of the camp I signed up for. I was afraid that I would not be able to participate, but the teachers assured me that I was more than welcome at camp. I was hampered in my ability to move freely, but nevertheless they found ways to include me in all the activities. I had a whale of a time and I think it proves that Roeland takes care of everyone”.
