Teaching French

A lot of students who end up at BYU - I don't plan on coming here, the same is true for teachers who come and teach here. Charlotte Carlus is one of those teachers. Carlus was living in Southern France and felt that her family really had no future in France, so she prayed to figure out what she should do.  

"The Spirit had always told me that we would go back to the US one day (this is the third time I've moved to the US)," said Carlus. "I prayed, the Lord told me to resume my PhD and that would open a new door for us." Carlus did and her family then lived off of food storage for a year. Then a miracle happened. A lady who had lived in France and known Carlus' husband 40 years ago called and told the family about a French teaching job available at BYU - I. Carlus got the job and the family moved back to the US. Carlus began teaching in August of 2008.  

Carlus has found a different set of difficulties teaching American students rather than teaching French students. "The nice thing is that students here are usually quite disciplined and polite, and I don’t think this is just because it is BYUI, I had noticed the same thing when I was teaching at the University of Utah," said Carlus. "Whereas students in France have a real problem with behavior and values nowadays. But the students in France had a much higher level of education, they are much more analytical and profound too, whereas most American students I have here are very ignorant, and at a total loss as soon as you ask them to think."

Student are not the only differences between the two countries. Carlus also misses quite a bit from home. "I miss my family and the beauty and esthetics of France: everything is beautiful over there, the buildings, the food, the clothes, whereas people do not seem to worry about esthetics or quality here," said Carlus. "I also miss the diversity and open-mindedness of the people, in France it is OK to be yourself, not here… especially in the Church."

On the other hand, Carlus has found that America also has some wonderful opportunities. "I like the freedom you have here and all the opportunities that you can find. If you want to do something with your life and progress and are ready to work, you can in Northern America, not in France," said Carlus. "The nice thing about living here is that it is easier for us to live an LDS life. The temple is very close (there is no temple in France, you have to go abroad), the chapel is close, you don’t have to have more than one calling, and it is OK to say that you are LDS." Apparently saying you are LDS is not an easy thing to do in France, since a lot of people, especially teenagers, mock people who believe in God.

Although America may have it faults, the Carlus family plans on staying here for a long time.

"[We plan on staying here] hopefully forever, this is where the Lord wants to be, I know that," said Carlus.