Can you tell me something about your background?

 

When I was 18, I prepared the concours des grandes écoles de commerce. Typically French. After studying business administration, I started working as a consultant at software developer Sage in Paris, comparable to Exact. We developed and implemented software for business management. At the start of my career in Paris, I taught lots of training courses. After this, I supervised the training department, developed lesson materials and coached trainers. I come from a family of teachers, so I think teaching is in my blood. I received my teaching qualification at the Hogeschool Rotterdam.

How much experience do you have teaching French?

I have over 20 years of experience in the business world, 10 of which as a French teacher. Export employees, a lieutenant-colonel at the air force, a lorry driver, a general practitioner, the former CEO of the HEMA, a sales representative of fruit juices, a KLM steward, a member of the municipal council in the Ardèche, a medical sales representative, a controller, an administrative employee of a wholesale in tyres, the owners of a gîte in the south-west of France, a canyoning supervisor in the Ariège as well as the owner of an IT company, a lawyer, a debtor employer, a top official, a trader in birds, a receptionist, a French teacher (good teachers also want to keep learning), a general director, a fruit and vegetable salesman, an order picker at a factory, etc… The list is long and diverse! Also see my references.

What has brought you to the Netherlands?

“L’amour! I moved in with my Dutch husband in 2006. That year, the demand for training courses in business French was particularly high in the Netherlands. The economy was booming. Large companies, but also small and medium-sized companies, had outgrown the Dutch market. They saw opportunities in Belgium and France and I could help them realise these. In those days, Zeeman and Hema were trying to get a foothold in France and they could use my services. I ended up working for them for many years.”

Why is France better than the Netherlands?

“I love France and Paris especially. I worked there for ten years. It’s a real metropolis that attracts highly educated professionals from all over France. There’s always something happening in the city; going to a show of le Théâtre de l’Atelier, looking at the people passing by café Les Pilosophes or strolling through Le Marais on Sunday morning!”

Why is the Netherlands better than France?

“The Netherlands is an accessible country aimed at trade. At doing business, direct and fast. Compared to France, it’s easier to start a new business here or attract a new customer. Reputation, prestige, connections in the industry and level of education (the famous ‘concours’) play a lesser role than in my homeland.”

Interview

For the Sterke Schouders project, I was interviewed by Karen Auer on behalf of the municipality of Rotterdam. This turned out to be a fun article (if I say so myself)! You could find it on the website of the municipality of Rotterdam on the website page “Sterke Schouders” with the title “De aanpasser: Het leven in Rotterdam is zoveel makkelijker dan in Parijs”.

Because the interview is no longer available on that website, I added it to my “Sterke Schouders” blog post on this website.

See : https://www.efficientfransleren.nl/sterke-schouders/

Would you like to know more? Check out my Linkedin profile.