Yolande Matumbu, now Hirst, knows what it is like to be a foreigner in a strange land, not knowing the language and customs.

She and her three children have lived in 11 countries including her home country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The other countries include Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Benin, Togo, Cameroon, Belgium, France and the United States.

In her native Congo, French is spoken in government and business as well as native tongues of several African languages. Hirst worked in the national tax office, the French Direction Generale des Contributions.

She is a certified teacher, has lived in the United States for eight years and she also has become fluent in English.

While in Portland, she became friends with the mother of her children's friend, Sheryl Kennedy. Listening to Hirst tell stories of her life in the Congo and other countries, Kennedy told her she needed to have classes to teach languages and knowledge of African cultures.

"And I am your first student," Hirst said Kennedy told her.

Taking her friend's advice, Hirst began the French and African Language Culture Center (FALC) because "life doesn't have borders," she said.

While in Seattle, she met James Hirst, an information technology specialist at the University of Oklahoma library and an Air Force veteran, through her cousin. Hirst moved to Norman and the couple will be married a year in June.

"We want everyone to feel comfortable wherever they are," Yolande Hirst said. "Things are so different. I used to see American people in my country, or Canadians, that didn't speak the language. I wondered, 'what can we do? What can we say to help them?' In Africa we have a very big sense of hospitality and we want to greet and communicate with people."

Hirst said the lack of knowledge of a country's language and culture puts a barrier in front of you. Everything is different here, she said, noting weddings, funerals and graduations.

"Here if someone passes away, if they are famous, you might hear about it on TV," she said. "Otherwise, you would never know about it. In the Congo, it is very noisy."

At her wedding, Hirst had many family members here; her mother, cousins and an older brother from the Congo. They celebrated the Congo way, patting their mouths and yelping. Her children told them "don't do that, people will not understand you."

"The kids are definitely American," Hirst said.

However, she doesn't speak English to her children at home. She wants them to know their native language and customs so when they vacation in the Congo there will be no barriers, strangers or surprises.

Not only can FALC make visitors more comfortable when they travel to different countries, but visitors to the U.S. and immigrants can feel more welcome here. The FALC teaches English as a second language along with American culture.

Besides English, FALC teaches French, Lingala, Kimbala, Kikongo, Kipindi and Swahili. They teach the culture, customs, dress, dance, music and hair braiding of many countries. FALC teaches how to sew African clothing and African cooking and will cook for events. They also offer services such as translation, transcription and interpretation.

The center begins the language with conversation, because people want to start using the language right away, Hirst said.

"They want a practical approach so we start speaking the language immediately," Hirst said. "I will never speak to students in English. Of course, to speak correctly, you must also learn the grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary, which we teach in conjunction with conversation."

Hirst said anything taught at FALC is original because they are native speakers of the languages and experience the cultures in everyday life. The services are offered at different levels and to any age. Lessons may be taught to individuals or to groups. Hirst said advantages when learning in a group are students will have the opportunity to practice with one another every time they meet for class and also make new friends.

Lessons can be taught at the center or FALC can teach in private homes, offices, coffee shops or the park and schedules are very flexible, Hirst said.

"The fact that we all interact with different people from all over the World, we all need the FALC," Hirst said. "Educational institutions, social services, churches, health services, legal services and families all have reasons to work with the FALC for tutoring, interpreting, translating, explaining and exchanging different ideas, cultures and their different ways of living."

"We make sure that every single second spent at the FALC counts and our customers step out with a lesson clear to use right away," said Hirst. "After learning a specific foreign language our customer should be able to communicate in a foreign country."

The benefits offered by FALC are many, Hirst said. A second language is a skill sought by many employers. A trip abroad will be more rewarding if you can relate to the people. Students enrolled in other language classes may need a little extra help and home school students can get the foreign language credit they need.

Hirst guarantees the "classes are friendly, the atmosphere relaxed and the emphasis is on having fun while you learn."

Hirst would like to add that FALC has the mission to ease international communication and to break culture barriers that exist between different people from different parts of the world.

For more information or to register for classes, call 217-4071, e-mail falc@falclearning.com or visit www.falclearning.com.