A melting-pot piece, but with the French, which I realized while listening, you don't hear a lot about. I know the French presented us with the Statue of Liberty as a gift, but it seems you don't hear many stories about French immigrants, or the trials Franco-Americans in America. They all settled in Canada before they immigrated here, and then not too many.

The piece explores Franco-Americans through a couple of close-ups, including an older woman who didn't learn English until she was over 50. The entire Maine town of Lewiston spoke French, mostly immigrants from not France, but Canada. They actually had a part of town called "Little Canada." The melting didn't occur until after WWII, when the area factories closed and the Franco-Americans left the neighborhoods around the factories and assimilated into non-French speaking areas.

This piece is surprised me. I don't know exactly what kind of show it works in. Maybe one about immigration, or maybe just an interesting piece to drop in whenever.

Oh, and how to improve your English? Play Scrabble.