The Hoeilaart French classes from Home!
Dear Visitor,
Are you looking to integrate better in the Belgian landscape? Have you been living in Belgium for a number of years and starting to think it may be time to learn one of the National languages?
Easier said that done. It isn’t always so simple to “boldly step forward” and sign up for classes as an expat. For a start, the teaching methods might seem a bit “foreign” to one who was schooled in the UK or US.
And what if the teacher only has a basic understanding of English? Could they even possibly know what it feels like to have English as a mother tongue and to approach French?
What if everyone else in the class is more advanced? What if they have a language that is closer to French and that allows them to speak without an accent?
Even worse…what if no one had any clue about HP sauce, Bisto, Guy Fawkes, Thanksgiving, mac ‘n cheese and all the rest??? Perish the thought!
These fears are very natural and understandable. You’re in a foreign country and you are stepping into a field you don’t know much about: language learning.
But what if there was a kind teacher who had “walked that walk” long before you did? What if this same teacher grew up right next door in Overijse as the son of an expat Mum from the UK and a Belgian father?
What if this British/Belgian teacher left Belgium, lived in the UK for several years, married an American lady and had relocated in the US?
And best of all: what if this teacher had founded a language school called OuiCommunicate that specifically teaches French to learners who have English as a first language?
It would almost seem that the stars had aligned to make any expat’s journey into French as easy as it could ever be. But we’ll let you be the judge of that!
Practical information
Thanks to the Internet, there is no more need to be present in the same room to conduct a successful language class. There are actually many reasons why in-person classes are less effective, slower and quickly lead to becoming “hobby-classes”.
Probably not the best approach if you want to learn French with intent.
OuiCommunicate is a coursework-based language school. We have the French language available for you on our website in the form of worksheets, videos and quizzes.
You only pay for the 20-minute meetups with your teacher, in which we assess your understanding of specific parts of French.
Speaking French will gradually be integrated as you develop better tools. French will be taught to you as a speaker of English, with full understanding of your background.
As a result, you can expect to build strong foundations in French to become a confident speaker. You will have all the tools to grow and develop as an independent speaker of French.
Become our next "success story"!
The lady in this video is originally from NY and wished for us to help prepare her move to France.
Today, she is fluent and happily lives in France where she meets new people and uses French daily.
The “secret” to her success is nothing more than what we offer you: the same learning material and the same approach.
But don’t take our word for it: read the review she wrote for our Google Business page!
Book a class now!
No preparation needed
Wish to know more? Phone Chris now or send a Whatsapp message to +1 860-339-6480.
You can book a trial class with no preparation through the booking calendar.
No French skills needed!
We are 6 hours behind Belgium!
Classes are on Skype for reasons of convenience.
Find us on Skype at:
live:reulandchristopher
Who are we?
How does it work?
A word about Hoeilaart...
This page would not be complete without a word about what brought us here in the first place: Hoeilaart, stronghold of the grape!
When I think of Hoeilaart I think “well managed”. It is indeed a handy little village in which you can walk from place to place or cycle. It has all manner of playgrounds and sports facilities and its own supermarket. What more could we want?
September is of course the high point of life in Hoeilaart with the annual “Druivenfeesten” (grape celebrations). Moreso than now, it did indeed used to be a sizeable industry with greehouses spread all around the “Druivenstreek”.
For the longest time, Hoeilaart was known for its quality restaurants. Diners drove through the woods from Brussels (or from Rixensart and Waterloo ) and ate at such reputable houses as The Bollewinkel, Tissens and of course the unattainable Pierre Romeyer!
As you taker the bend towards Groendaal on your right there are 2 ponds in which we always used to “spot the heron” on our way to school every morning. And on the way back, we’d stop at the fish shop once a week.
The skate park and brand new tennis courts were a long time coming…Hoeilaart had always invested in skateboarding but years ago it was quite basic and made out of wood.
What brings Hoeilaart its unusual character is probably the diversity of the architecture and its many back alleys and surprises. Properties seemingly forgotten by developpers bring us straight back to the 1800s, as is still owned by farmers in overalls and clogs
My favourite place in Hoeilaart is in the park by the chateau. I sometimes also lock up my bike and go for a jog opposite the once super posh restaurant Romeyer near Groenendaal.
Despite the close proximity by car, Hoeilaart never became an extension of Brussels. Traditional “plattevlaams” is still spoken as a vernacular without falling victim to gentrification or an uncontrolled increase in businesses.
It has remained as it always was: a mid-sized town that values tradition and its cultural legacy,
I hope to meet you soon! Chris.