Bonjour! Ça va? Wah Gwan? Introducing the Alliance Française de la Jamaïque

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“Bonjour Simone!”
“Bonjour Larry!”
“Ça va?”
“Tres bien, es toi?”

“That’s it Larry. That’s all I got,” I said sheepishly. Larry laughed. “It’s okay Simone. This is what we are here for.”

Ever since my visit to Martinique, I have had an obsession about the small, quaint islands and its beautiful history. In the last few months, I have networked, and have had an opportunity to meet and connect with some amazing people from the island of Martinique. One such person is a young man named Dimitri Derigent, who introduced me to Larry Lamartinière, Director at the Alliance Française de la Jamaïque.

Founded in 1883, Alliance Française is a national association propagating the French language, and the French culture. The association was born under the aegis of Paul Cambon and Pierre Foncin. The success of the association is due to groups of individuals who remain loyal to the French language and francophone culture. The brand is known in 136 countries and has inspired a rich network of over a thousand local associations with a proper legal entity. They can be found everywhere, from the African continent to Northern Europe, from Asia to Oceania, and yes, the brand has found their way to one of the most branded islands in the Caribbean, Jamaica.

Last week I had an opportunity to speak with Larry, and during our detailed discussion, he shared his journey with me, and how he ended up as the Director of the Alliance Française in Kingston, Jamaica.

“I studied in France,” Larry started. His French accent was hinted with an array of dialects found in the Caribbean. This would make sense after our talk. “They had an exchange program in Jamaica, and I fell in love after my first visit. I always wanted to return, but life had more in store for me. I ended up doing more traveling, which included a long-term internship in Trinidad. In February, my dream came true. The Director position at the Alliance Française in Jamaica became available, and of course, I took it.”

During our interview, Larry gave me some more history on the association, and how it grew in the Caribbean. “As someone from the French Caribbean, it is interesting that I got the position. Only people from mainland France get the opportunity. I think they realized it would be better they have someone from the French Caribbean in this position. It also helped that I could relate, and I had some experience with the island. The Alliance made their debut in the Caribbean islands in 1956. Learning a foreign language is about communication, and although we are a smaller organization here in Jamaica, we are here to keep the French language alive.”

There is no denying it; this program has great potential. “We are the only place in Jamaica that teaches French. We can reach the whole of Jamaica, and we have people in the Cayman Islands, also Washington D.C. We are the only place that they can take the exam to get into Canada, and students from the Alliance Française want to come to Canada.”

 With COVID-19 impacting us globally, I was curious as to how he was doing. He had just started his position and then the coronavirus hit. “I had just started to roll out some initiatives. We had a Francophone Film Festival with the Canadian High Embassy, but it was cancelled. We have moved on to online classes, and I am happy to say that we have great Jamaican teachers. We are not trying to extend to Canada. Our classes are very affordable, and with restrictions in place, we are active on social media.”

“What’s next for you Larry! Restrictions are lifting, so how are you going to move your mission forward?” I queried.

“On Sundays we do a podcast call Vin sur Vingt. We feature special guests from Jamaican, and we answer questions about visas, work nd study opportunities, tuition, and of course, everything French. I am currently looking for Jamaicans who have moved to Canada and are living in a majority French area (Montreal, Quebec). I would love to hear about their experiences and have them share this experience with our viewers.”

 To learn more about the Alliance Française of Jamaica visit them on:

Instagram: @Af_jamaica

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AFJamaique/

Website: https://jm.ambafrance.org/-Francophonie-20-

Au revoir!