Le coin des étudiants: Bonny Loo


Today we tell you the story of Bonny Loo. Bonny was born and raised in Hong Kong. He studied law in England and Australia and became a lawyer. Bonny first started learning French in the 80s! He was taking classes with the Alliance Française de Hong Kong, and even when he moved to England, he kept up with his studies by taking weekly lessons at the language centre of his university for a term.  Then he stopped taking classes.

Aujourd'hui, nous vous racontons l'histoire de Bonny Loo. Bonny est né et a grandi à Hong Kong. Il a étudié le droit en Angleterre et en Australie et est devenu avocat. Bonny a commencé à apprendre le français dans les années 80  ! Il suivait des cours avec l’Alliance Française de Hong Kong, et même lorsqu’il a déménagé en Angleterre, il a continué ses études en prenant des cours hebdomadaires au centre de langue de son université pour un trimestre. Puis il a arrêté de prendre des cours.

Learning French:



So why are we telling you Bonny's story if he stopped learning French over 30 years ago? Because now he is back at the same place where it all started - the Alliance Française de Hong Kong! It has been two years since he restarted his learning journey, and we couldn't be more proud of him. His determination and enthusiasm are inspiring! Bonny was inspired to start learning French again after watching the popular show Emily in Paris. Seeing the beautiful architecture, culture, and vibrancy of the city of Paris, he was filled with hope and excitement. Bonny knew that learning the language would open up a whole new world to him, so he decided to embark on this journey and the adventure began!

Bonny has been taking weekly classes to stay ahead of the curve! He recalls that dictation was used frequently in the 80s, but today's methods are much more effective in terms of achieving his objectives and strengthening his relationship with learning. His favourite exercise now? Reading comprehension! Bonny is always looking for new opportunities to grow and learn.

Alors pourquoi vous raconter l'histoire de Bonny s'il a arrêté d'apprendre le français il y a plus de 30 ans ? Parce qu'il est aujourd'hui de retour à l'endroit même où tout a commencé - l'Alliance Française de Hong Kong ! Cela fait deux ans qu'il a repris le chemin de l'apprentissage et nous ne pourrions être plus fiers de lui. Sa détermination et son enthousiasme sont une source d'inspiration ! Bonny a eu envie de recommencer à apprendre le français après avoir regardé l'émission populaire Emily in Paris. En voyant la beauté de l'architecture, de la culture et du dynamisme de la ville de Paris, il a été rempli d'espoir et d'excitation. Bonny savait que l'apprentissage de la langue lui ouvrirait un tout nouveau monde. Il a donc décidé de se lancer dans ce voyage et l'aventure a commencé !

Bonny a suivi des cours hebdomadaires pour garder une longueur d'avance ! Il se souvient que la dictée était fréquemment utilisée dans les années 80, mais les méthodes d'aujourd'hui sont beaucoup plus efficaces pour atteindre ses objectifs et renforcer sa relation avec l'apprentissage. Son exercice préféré aujourd'hui ? La compréhension écrite ! Bonny est toujours à la recherche de nouvellesd'apprent


Objective

 What are Bonny’s objectives for learning French?








He's decided to simply enjoy learning the language while having fun, without setting a specific goal. But that doesn't mean he doesn't have any personal goals in mind. His enthusiasm for the language is driven by a few objectives that have a special meaning for him. If you're looking for some inspiration on how to start learning French, take a look at Bonny's list of goals for a bit of motivation: - Bonny will travel to France for vacation next year. He's hoping to make the most of his trip and is looking forward to brushing up on his French language skills. His itinerary includes a visit to the Châtelet theatre where he can experience the many musical stages, and Panthéon Assas University, a stunning monument to French law.

- He also has his sights set on Strasbourg (City in France). Not only to see the European institutions that make up the city, but also to visit Strasbourg's ‘Rue du 22 Novembre’, the date Allied troops entered Strasbourg at the end of the First World War, and just happened to be Bonny's birthday. - Bonny also has other minor goals, like being able to order snails in a French restaurant, understanding the French President's videos on LinkedIn, and even watching movies in French without needing subtitles! - Lastly, Bonny also revealed after the interview that he planned to register for the DELF exam soon, so good luck!

Quels sont les objectifs de Bonny pour apprendre le français ?

Il a décidé de se contenter d'apprendre la langue en s'amusant, sans se fixer d'objectif précis. Mais cela ne veut pas dire qu'il n'a pas d'objectifs personnels en tête. Son enthousiasme pour la langue est motivé par quelques objectifs qui ont une signification particulière pour lui. Si vous cherchez de l'inspiration pour commencer à apprendre le français, jetez un coup d'œil à la liste d'objectifs de Bonny pour vous motiver :
- Bonny se rendra en France pour ses vacances l'année prochaine. Il espère profiter au maximum de son voyage et se réjouit de pouvoir améliorer ses compétences en français. Son itinéraire prévoit une visite du théâtre du Châtelet, où il pourra découvrir les nombreuses scènes musicales, et de l'université Panthéon Assas, un monument du droit français.
- Il a également pour objectif de visiter Strasbourg (ville de France) ! Non seulement pour voir les institutions européennes qui composent la ville, mais aussi pour visiter la rue du 22 novembre, date à laquelle les troupes alliées sont entrées dans Strasbourg à la fin de la Première Guerre mondiale, et qui coïncide avec l'anniversaire de Bonny !
- Bonny a également d'autres objectifs mineurs, comme être capable de commander facilement des escargots dans un restaurant français, comprendre les vidéos du président français sur LinkedIn, et même de regarder des films en français sans avoir besoin de sous-titres !
- Enfin, Bonny a également révélé après l'interview qu'il prévoyait de s’inscrire bientôt à l’examen DELF, alors bonne chance !

French Learning Tips

Conseils pour apprendre le français

Bonny has a unique approach to learning - it's not so much about acquiring knowledge, but about enriching yourself. He's shared his few tips on improving: attend classes regularly, be interested in French culture, and attend pronunciation and grammar workshops. Most importantly, he remembers the small but unforgettable moments of discovery that make learning even more dynamic. As he says himself: "The ultimate aim is to have fun, I don't want to stress out about learning”. Bonny knows that learning a language is not only about memorizing words and phrases. He recommends taking advantage of pronunciation and grammar workshops, where you can learn from more advanced language learners and eventually become one of them. Not only that, but grammar workshops can help you dive into a language's complex grammar, which is essential. Bonny remembers one such moment when he discovered 'Dommage' by Big Flo and Oli during a course. He was mesmerized by the song's rhythms and the way language was used. Moments like these make learning exciting and motivate you to keep going!

Bonny a une approche unique de l'apprentissage : il ne s'agit pas tant d'acquérir des connaissances que de s'enrichir. Il nous livre ses quelques conseils pour progresser : assister régulièrement aux cours, s'intéresser à la culture française, participer à des ateliers de prononciation et de grammaire. Surtout, il se souvient des petits moments de découverte inoubliables qui rendent l'apprentissage encore plus dynamique. Comme il le dit lui-même : "Le but ultime est de s'amuser, je ne veux pas stresser pour apprendre". Bonny sait que l'apprentissage d'une langue ne se limite pas à la mémorisation de mots et de phrases. Il recommande de profiter des ateliers de prononciation et de grammaire, qui permettent d'apprendre auprès d'apprenants plus avancés et de devenir un jour l'un d'entre eux. En outre, les ateliers de grammaire peuvent vous aider à vous plonger dans la grammaire complexe d'une langue, ce qui est essentiel. Bonny se souvient d'un moment où il a découvert "Dommage" de Big Flo et Oli pendant un cours. Il a été fasciné par les rythmes de la chanson et la façon dont la langue était utilisée. Ce sont des moments comme celui-ci qui rendent l'apprentissage passionnant et qui vous motivent à continuer !


Learning a language is never too late! Even if you have to take a break from it, you can always come back and pick it up whenever you're ready.
Don't be afraid to take a leap and start learning today!

Il n'est jamais trop tard pour apprendre une langue ! Même si tu dois faire une pause, tu pourras toujours revenir et reprendre quand tu seras prêt. N'ayez pas peur de vous lancer et commencez à apprendre dès aujourd'hui !

Interviewed by Katy Lau and Malo Delprat


Learn French with Alliance Française

Share the learning story of Bonny with your classmates and friends to spread his experience of learning French with Alliance Française de Hong Kong! 

Regular courses are open to students of different French levels and ages, from Kids, to Teens and Adults. We also welcomes Macau students to register for our online French courses. Bon courage !

Course Info Course Info


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