They also stock general literature, crime, science-fiction & fantasy, drama, poetry, young adult fiction, children’s literature, non-fiction, games, DVDs.

We moved last August to our new location rue des Trois Conils after the previous owner’s decision to retire. We are fluent in English and able to help customers choose a suitable way to learn English or improve their skills. We can also provide guidance in the selection of fiction and non-fiction books for children and adults alike.

Where: Bradley’s Bookshop, 1 Rue de la Merci, 33000 Bordeaux

www.bradleys-bookshop.com
Facebook Page

The post Bradley’s English Bookshop appeared first on Bordeaux Expats.

They will provide an educational program entirely in English with native English-speaking teachers. The school will open its doors in September and will welcome children aged three to six.

Extra-curricular activities in English will also be on offer every Wednesday and during school holidays. These activities are open to all children, whether they are enrolled in the school or not.

The post BILINGUAL SCHOOL CHARTRONS BORDEAUX appeared first on Bordeaux Expats.

Student residences and services

Other accommodation agencies and websites

Flatsharing

Classified websites

Facebook pages and groups to try…

If you finally manage to find a place to stay and are looking for a heads-up on meeting other expats and international students as well as various language exchanges and networking groups – check out this article from Bordeaux Expats…

Good luck and please let me know if I’ve missed anything out or made any mistakes…!

The post STUDENT ACCOMMODATION IN BORDEAUX appeared first on Bordeaux Expats.

Here’s a lighter side look an Australian trying to speak french.

‘Je voudrais’.

The post A GUIDE TO BUYING STUFF IN BORDEAUX appeared first on Bordeaux Expats.

Their background

A fresh concept

The tours

Get in touch to find out more and we look forward to meeting you!

Virginie and Sophie

The post EXPAT INTERVIEW – LANGUE ET TERROIRS appeared first on Bordeaux Expats.

Read on to find out more!

What led you to teaching French conversation at the Bordeaux USA expat club?

Can you describe your approach to teaching in 5 words?

In more detail, what exactly do your sessions involve?

How often are your classes and how much are they?

Do you provide private French lessons?

What are your plans for the future?

Anything to add?

My simple advice is this: DARE TO SPEAK & FEEL CONFIDENT!

Many thanks to Hélène for the interview, and if you wanna find out more or join her classes, feel free to get in touch with the Bordeaux USA club.

Here’s their facebook page…

The post LEARN FRENCH WITH HELENE appeared first on Bordeaux Expats.

Written by Melissa Rindell

“A friend of the owner wanted to retire and was looking for someone to take over her association, teaching children English,” Elisabeth says.

For the Liddiards it was perfect. Simon is English and Elisabeth, a native of the Bordeaux area, was looking to return to the workforce after taking time off to bring up her children. They agreed immediately and have been involved with The New School Association ever since, Simon, as President, and Elisabeth, as a teacher.

The Liddiards met in England through an ERASMUS program at the University of Humberside. After graduation, they spent six years living in London, where they started their careers. Elisabeth worked in marketing for fashion sportswear companies and Simon in advertising. A job opportunity for Simon brought them to Paris in 2000.

“I loved living in England,” Elisabeth says, “It was easy to find a job, make money, find a place to live. And I liked the work culture. It was more relaxed, more genuine, more straight to the point. But I was really happy to come back to France. I always thought I would start my career in England and return to France for family and I really enjoyed coming back to the French way of living, the quality of products, especially food-wise. People are still cooking here. They’re still buying fresh products. In England, everything is pre-packed.”

After 14 years in Paris, Simon started contemplating changing professions.

“It was a fun, creative environment but hard work with long hours, and very stressful, ” Simon says of his time in the advertising industry, “And after 20 years, you’re not going to do a great deal that’s new. I kept hearing stories about people who had changed occupations and were enjoying new experiences and we were at a window of opportunity with the age of our children that we could move geographically without changing their education.”

Simon’s interest in wine tourism and the proximity of Elisabeth’s friends and family made Bordeaux a natural choice. Simon took a year of sabbatical and got his Masters degree in tourism and hotel management. He went on to work with the Bordeaux Tourist Office to create a jogging route and Urban Wine Trail. Inspired by a tasting room in Santa Barbara, the Urban Wine Trail allows people to experience the wines of Bordeaux without ever leaving the city, through an organised wine-bar crawl.

Passionate about real estate, the Liddiards also started investing in Bordeaux properties. One of the properties they invested in is a building on rue St. James, which they co-own with friends from business school. Un Chateau en Ville is housed in the commercial space. Un Chateau en Ville features all the wines of Chateau Lestrille and is a boutique, tasting room, and restaurant. Today, Simon works at the vineyard in Saint-Germain-du-Puch, where he oversees the boutique, tour program and event space.

Like many ex-pats, Simon has his fingers in a lot of pies and his love for real estate, lead to a position as an estate agent for Leggett Immobilier. Leggett is a British real estate company founded in the Dordogne 20 years ago, who initially specialised in clarifying the muddy water of French real estate for foreign buyers.

“Leggett is a family run business that advises clients on property rather than straight selling. I liked their approach as well as the strong focus on teamwork amongst the 500+ agents in France. The Bordeaux area is extremely interesting to work because it is not homogeneous, making it appealing to a number of different types of buyer. It also helps that it is dynamic and a real melting pot of French people from different regions as well as a high number of expats and foreigners,” Simon says.

Elisabeth’s efforts are more focused. She works full-time at The New School, which offers English classes for children 3-17, in Le Bouscat.

“It’s a great pleasure to wake up every morning and look forward to going to work. I love working with children and really feel I’ve found my true vocation. Feeding young ones and teenagers with English is very satisfying!” Elisabeth says.

In addition to classes during the school year, The New School offers educational holidays in North Devon, through a partnership with Country Cousins.

“Parents kept asking me for recommendations on exchange programs, so I started doing some research,” Elisabeth says. “Country Cousins is family-run and has a history of over 65 years, so I sent Simon to check it out.”

Simon has fond memories of a language exchange he did in La Rochelle when he was 14 and 15 and was eager to make that experience available to the next generation.

“I talked to a lot of French parents who had negative experiences with UK exchanges, so it was important to us to find one that had the quality we were looking for. Country Cousins is akin to what I experienced when I was young. It’s well organised and the activities range from surfing to theatre to sports. At that age, it’s important to make it enjoyable, because that makes kids want to go back and then it becomes their choice to learn.”

Country Cousins offers immersion programs ranging from 1-3 weeks for children as young as 8, during Spring and Summer vacation and a June program for “élèves de 2nde.” The New School is also offering an Acting in English Intensive from June 17 to July 5 in Le Bouscat for élèves de 2nde.

“It’s funny but if we hadn’t bought our house we might have a very different story to tell,” Simon says, “Elisabeth thinks she would still have ended up teaching English and I would still have envisaged real estate at some point, with or without wine! Life is sometimes helped along by chance encounters, the key thing is to embrace them.”

About the author: 
Melissa Rindell moved to Bordeaux from New York, where she worked as an actor, playwright and director. Before that she was a sports journalist for the Associated Press and did public relations for the Sydney Blues of the Australian Baseball League, Boston Red Sox, United States Olympic Committee and International Management Group. Melissa has been living in Bordeaux since 2015.

The post LUCKY VENTURE – ELISABETH & SIMON LIDDIARD appeared first on Bordeaux Expats.

Author Letty David

Step 1 – Pôle emploi and learning French.

First things first, if you’re job hunting in France, sign up to Pôle emploi; they will register you, and support you, and can prescribe free French lessons and subsidised training courses. You will be assigned a personal advisor (“conseiller”) whose job is to help you. If you have worked in the EU prior to arriving in France, bring them your U1 form which can entitle you to unemployment pay (long story and not the subject of this article, but well worth googling).

Now I’ll state the obvious; if you don’t already speak passable French, get learning as fast as possible. Find out if your Pôle emploi can get you free classes, and while you’re on the waiting list, get a card for your local ‘médiatheque’ (library) and borrow books, CDs and DVDs so you can immerse yourself completely. Médiathèques often host events, book clubs, and sometimes language exchange sessions as well so sign up for their newsletter and check their public notice board.

A friend arrived in France having only ever been here for a long weekend and learned enough to get a permanent job (CDI) by reading children’s books and listening to the radio. Within a year of working in a French speaking office, they were nearly fluent.

It isn’t easy, but it is doable; you just have to be determined. Watch French TV, subscribe to French YouTube channels, use French recipe books, and join local associations; yoga, dance, painting, football, whatever your hobbies are, do them in French! (Go to your mairie and ask for the list of sporting and cultural associations; some of them even do language exchange and lessons.) Switch your phone and other devices to French, even switch your mobile applications and Facebook to French. All this will help you to learn the language, but, almost more importantly, it will help you learn about French culture and meet French people, which is KEY to getting a job.

Aside from learning French, remember that your language skills and cultural background make you stand out.

An acquaintance found a permanent job in France after 3 months even though they spoke no French simply because they spoke fluent English which no one else in the office did.

List the languages you speak on your CV, and mention your background in your cover letter. Speaking English fluently is a great start, but it’s worth reminding people that you also have a cultural understanding of Anglophone/English/American/or other foreign clients and their expectations. Depending on your experience, you can also list that your work ethics and customer service skills were formed by your experience in American or British working environments (if that’s the case), meaning that you are hardworking and have excellent customer service skills for example. In short, no matter which country you come from, show HOW this makes you the better candidate. If you’ve lived and worked in Asia, that is likely to impress, so accentuate it in your application. Foreigners are exotic, so get out there and brag a little bit!

Step 2 – Applying for jobs: CVs, Lettres de Motivation, codes of conduct.

Your CV:

Your CV is expected to be one page maximum emailed in PDF format or printed out. Most people now include a picture of themselves. You can be as creative as you like with layout and colour schemes so it reflects who you are and your skills. Research the key skills expected for the jobs you are applying for (see fact-box at the end of this article) so that you know what is expected and which vocabulary to use. Make sure that they stand out by putting them in a box out, or in bold for example (soft skills are called “savoir être” and hard skills are “compétences”). Look at other people’s CVs on LinkedIn, and don’t hesitate to ask people for feedback on your CV. Be ready to regularly tinker with layout and update your CV.

Your cover letter or “lettre de motivation”:

This is expected to be no longer than one page in PDF format. Attach it to your application rather than send it as part of your email’s content.

Traditional layout is expected with your name, address, and contact details at the top left of the page, the employer’s name and address top right of the page, a subject line, an opening (“A l’attention de…recipient’s name”, or “Madame, Monsieur,”), followed by your text (and formule de politesse), and then your signature.

Your structure should have three parts; “you” (the company you’re contacting), “me” (your background, experience, qualities), “us” (how you can work together/what you can contribute to the company).

The first part shows that you have researched the company and are aware of their current projects and aims. The second is your chance to sell yourself. The third can be as short as one sentence synthesising your enthusiasm about working with the company and how you can drive their development.

Give concrete examples in your cover letter, and use keywords. This is your chance to add things that wouldn’t fit on your CV or expand on something that’s very important. Make sure to personalise your cover letter for each application.

Your application email:

Put the details of the position you are applying for in the subject line, for example; “Candidature au poste de -job title-” or “Candidature à l’annonce N3458” (advert number).

The content of the email should be short and sweet, something along these lines;

Madame, Monsieur, (use the person’s name if you have it)

Avec plus de 5 ans (insert number of years)  d’expérience dans (your industry or speciality) , je vous adresse ma candidature au poste de (job title) (référence n°45656). Vous trouverez ci-joint mon CV ainsi qu’une lettre de motivation plus détaillée.

En vous remerciant par avance de l’attention que vous y porterez.

Bien Cordialement,

(Madame or Monsieur your Surname and Name)

Handwritten applications:

Yes, some companies still ask for manuscript cover letters to be delivered in person or posted. If you’ve been asked for a manuscript letter or a writing sample (also a thing) it’s because you will be judged on neatness, handwriting, and presentation. Use plain white paper, blue or black ink (use a nice ink pen or fountain pen instead of a biro), and make sure to write neatly in straight lines. I always put a lined sheet of paper underneath the sheet I’m writing on to make sure my writing is evenly spaced and straight. Use cursive handwriting.

“Formules de politesse”:

“Formules de politesse” are your opening and closing lines and they’re a bit of a fetish in France.

The easiest opening to use for emails and cover letters is “Monsieur -insert surname-” or “Madame -insert surname-”. If you are unaware of the gender or name of your recipient, you can use “Madame, Monsieur,”.

Closing formulas come in all shapes and sizes. Usually, the more important the person you’re addressing is, the longer and more complex your formula is. You can end emails slightly informally with; variations on “Cordialement”, “Salutations distinguées”, “Respectueusement” or “Salutations Respectueuses”.

Here are a selection of ones you can use at the end of a cover letter;

• “Dans l’attente de votre réponse, veuillez agréer, Madame, Monsieur, mes sincères salutations.”
• “En espérant que ma candidature retiendra votre attention, veuillez agréer, Madame, Monsieur, ma considération distinguée.”
• “Veuillez agréer, Madame, Monsieur, mes meilleures salutations.”
• “Je vous prie d’agréer, Madame, Monsieur, l’expression de ma considération.”
• “Veuillez recevoir, Madame, Monsieur, l’assurance de ma considération distinguée.”

If none of these inspire you, google “formules de politesse” or “formules de courtoisie” and have fun!

“Relances”:

When to remind someone of your application is a tricky subject. Try to find out what the deadline for applications is, and don’t contact a recruiter about your application until after that. If there is no information regarding the application deadline, most people wait about 2 weeks after they sent in their application to contact a company. There is no solid rule about this though, so play it by ear. Just try not to come across as desperate because it could make recruiters nervous. Don’t hesitate to ask your Pôle emploi conseiller or anyone in your network what they think about this subject as it can vary according to your situation.

Other communication:

If you have been given an interview for a job, it is usual to email the recruiter within 24/48hrs to thank them for their time. Keep it short and snappy.

Step 3 – Networking

Why network?

Someone working at Pôle emploi recently told me that 60% – 70% of people hired in France get their jobs through the “marché caché”. He described the “marché ouvert” as the open job market; jobs advertised online and in papers; the visible part of the iceberg. The “marché caché” is the larger, hidden part of the iceberg; it encompasses jobs which are never advertised because they are offered directly to acquaintances, interns, or people who sent in spontaneous applications. Because of this, your most prized job catching apparatus is your network; your “réseau”. The larger your network is, the more flies will get caught in it.

Ok, so how do I network?

Your network includes everyone you’ve ever met. Traditionally, people’s network would include school mates, ex-teachers, parent’s colleagues, mentors, and extended family members. If you’re new to an area and don’t have a lifetime’s worth of acquaintances stored up, you’ll need to start from scratch. Tell everyone that you’re job hunting! Practice dropping it into the conversation; mention it at your children’s schools, to people you meet at social events, your neighbours, and your local baker (bakers know everyone, especially in smaller towns and villages). It’s a good idea to carry business cards you can hand out if anyone looks even vaguely interested.

Ask your Pôle emploi conseiller about their network; do they know anyone in your line of work who would be happy to meet up with you or chat over the phone?

Meeting people in person has to be your aim because it builds trust. People who have met you in person are more likely to recommend you and help you. You can do this by going door to door handing out cards and CVs and speaking to people. However, this can be very time consuming, and you risk only speaking to people who don’t have the power to hire you such as secretaries or interns. This is why I strongly recommend using LinkedIn.

LinkedIn and “entretiens de réseau”:

If you don’t already have a LinkedIn profile, sign up and get going. Make sure that your profile picture is an accurate representation of you, in focus, looking professional. It’s a good idea to have a banner picture; you can find one by googling “your industry/speciality + linkedin banner”. Your headline should list your speciality and that you are actively seeking work. If you speak several languages, make sure to fill out your profile all of them (find out how here). The more detailed your profile is and the more skills you list, the more likely to are to come up when recruiters search for candidates. Make sure you list your current location or mention that you are mobile. Start adding people to your network.

Use the search bar to find people in your industry near you and ask to connect with them. When you do this, there’s an option for adding a “note” to your request. I recommend adding a note explaining that you have recently moved to the area, are job hunting in X industry, and are trying to expand your network. You can also use this note to ask for an “entretien de réseau”.

“Entretiens de réseau” are networking interviews. Start by asking people you admire if they would be so kind as to share their expert advice with you. Ask lots of people because not everyone will respond. When someone agrees, organise a phone or Skype call, or a meeting in person (even better if you can). Prepare for the meeting by rehearsing your elevator pitch introducing yourself, your experience and skills, and laying out your aims. Then prepare some questions to ask. You can also ask for constructive criticism on your CV and cover letters.

Ask about your interviewee about their network; do they know anyone else who would speak to you?

Do they know other people in your industry?

Do they know of companies you could approach who might be interested in your profile?

The idea is for you to get advice but also expand your network using other people’s networks. If you didn’t meet your interviewee on LinkedIn, ask if you can add them. After someone has given you an entretien de réseau, send them a thank you email and demonstrate how they have helped (send your updated CV and list the steps you have taken). When you do find a job, let them know, and thank them again for their support.

Step 4 – The extra mile; “candidatures spontanées”, “immersion professionnelle”, “stages”,and “service civique”:

Once you’ve applied to all the job offers you’ve found advertised, make a list of organisations you would like to work for or whose missions or ethics you admire, and send them spontaneous applications. People often look through their archived spontaneous applications before even advertising a position so this can give your profile extra privilege.

Ask your Pôle emploi conseiller about doing “service civique”, an “immersion professionnelle”, or a “stage”; which are all great ways of getting a foot in at the door of whichever industry you want to break into. You’re more likely to be hired by someone who knows you, or a friend of someone who knows you.

It’s a good idea to mention in your spontaneous applications that you are available to undertake an “immersion professionnelle” with the aim of developing your skills and making yourself known. “Immersion professionnelle” is an unpaid opportunity to integrate a company for a short time (usually a week) so that you can develop your skills, learn about the organisation, and demonstrate what a good employee you would be. Asking for such an opportunity is a good way of standing out; if you undertake an “immersion”, you will expand your network and are more likely to be hired later on by that company as they know you. A contract is signed between your Pôle emploi, the company, and yourself, laying out the aims of the “immersion”. This is designed to protect you from being exploited. You can download an information pack to send out with applications on the pole emploi site (see fact-box).

“Stages” are internships; the pay isn’t huge, but this can be a great way of building experience of working in France with French people, and might help you find your dream job. You can search for “stages” on the Pôle emploi site and all other job hunting sites.

“Service civique” is similar to volunteering but you get paid between 500 and 600 euros a month. This can be a great way of practising French, meeting people, and developing skills to enhance your CV. For more information and to search and apply for positions go here.

Job hunting seasons:

January-April: This is a good time to job hunt in most industries as it’s the new year and new financial year. If you work in tourism/hospitality/entertainment, this is when people hire for the summer season. As companies come to the end of their financial year in April, personnel might be very busy and take time to get back to you so don’t stress; send a polite email reminding them of you about two weeks after you applied.

March-May: Good time to find last minute summer seasonal jobs. If you’re thinking about doing training or pursuing further education, you need to get organised now to start in September.

June-July: If you work in tourism/hospitality/entertainment and want a winter seasonal job at a ski resort, this is a good time to start looking as the good jobs with included accommodation tend to go early.

July-August: Bear in mind that the high summer season is from approximately the 14th July to 15th August; if you work in tourism you’re unlikely to get any rest during this period. If you’re job hunting in the tourism industry, make sure you’re available during this period; no one wants to hire staff who have holidays planned when they’re most needed!

August: If it’s the 1st August and you still don’t have a job, it’s time to take a break from sending out applications. Most of France shuts down over August; even my local nursery school and bakery close for three weeks. You’re unlikely to receive many responses from companies until the first week of September. This makes August a good time for you to recharge your energy, focus on updating your CV, practising your French, improving your cover letters and LinkedIn profile etc. Why not improve your chances further by taking an online course? There are plenty of free courses run by universities which can enrich your CV and show that you’re a proactive candidate (see fact-box).

September: The first Monday of September is “la rentrée des classes” or “la rentrée”; children go back to school, adults go back to work, and you’ve got a few months of productivity before the Christmas shopping season starts and things tail off again. This is a good time to grab people’s attention when they’re freshly rested from their summer break. You might not get many responses in the first week of September as people catch up with colleagues, attend meetings, and sift through all the emails they received in August, but by the 15th September, things should be more dynamic. This is a good time to expand your network, ask to meet people, search for mentors, and apply for jobs. September is also when most associations and meetups start again. Ask your local mairie or google “forum des associations” in your area; these are like Freshers fairs where associations and clubs have stands and hold displays to attract new members in the autumn. Joining clubs and associations will help you expand your network and integrate. This is also a good time to search for last minute winter season jobs.

December: This can be a difficult month; some people have given up by this time and have left the office early to go skiing and Christmas shopping. However, some people will be desperately trying to get things organised (and hire people) before going on holiday, so it’s worth continuing to make yourself known. You can also use the season as an excuse to wish people “Joyeuses Fêtes” or a “Bonne fin d’année” by email (remind them of your existence and dynamic attitude), and schedule January meetings with mentors or people from your network.

January: In France, New Years cards are more popular than Christmas cards. In fact, people spend most of January and February wishing each other a happy new year. Again, this is a great excuse to send out messages wishing people a “bonne année et bonne santée” and attaching a cheeky updated version of your CV, or asking for an entretien de réseau.

FACTBOX:

Pôle emploi:

Sign up to Pôle emploi + check job listings here

If you’re in the Gironde department, follow their Pôle emploi Facebook page; they’re active and host networking and job dating events all over the Bordeaux area.

Education/Socialising:

France université numérique is a platform hosting free digital courses run by French universities. The courses cover a wide range of subjects and some are available in English.

Use MeetUp to find social events and even meetings aimed at professionals in your area: “After work” meetups often attract a large crowd of people worth adding to your network.

If you are in Gironde, check out Bordeaux Expats Facebook pages and groups, as the international community is very active.

• BORDEAUX EXPATS (General Support Group)
• Bordeaux Expats English Freelancers
• Bordeaux Expats Jobs

Your CV and lettre de motivation:

Search these sites to find out about key skills in your industry/job, and French vocabulary:

studyrama.com

pole-emploi.fr

www.onisep.fr/Decouvrir-les-metiers

ONISEP is the national office for information about training and professions. Their site is a gold mine of information about education and jobs. Visit this page for practical info about job hunting, tips for writing your CV etc.:

Find free CV and cover letter templates here:

Layout template for lettre de motivation:

Great advice for putting together your motivation letter here

This blog is full of great tips and info.

Christopher is based in the Bordeaux area and also offers help with CVs, cover letters, and interview preparation. He has a big network so check him out on LinkedIn too.

LinkedIn groups to join:

Job pour TOI Sud Ouest (people post job adverts here, also a good place to share your CV):

Linkeat&Events Sud Ouest (lunchtime networking events organised all over the southwest)

Business Sud Ouest (for business owners, but still a useful place to be present)

People to add on LinkedIn:

Stephane Pusset runs the Linkeat events; he knows loads of people in lots of different professions and his events are incredibly worthwhile: he’s very approachable and always happy to help.

Amandine Carrier is a coach specialising in helping people with their CV and interview skills. She can take you through mock interviews and give constructive criticism in person or over Skype.

Entretiens de réseau information pack and template:

Download here

Immersion professionnelle information pack:

Download here

About the author:

Letty David was born and brought up in France but her family is originally British. Being bilingual but not understanding British culture at all, she wanted to learn all about it so she spent 5 years in Scotland catching up on English TV, discovering Scottish music, and bingeing on curry… She is now proud to call herself not only bilingual but bicultural. She is happy to be back in France, even though she knows that she’ll never properly fit in anywhere because she’s not 100% British or French… She is however a true European!

Letty specialises in communications, and she would be happy to connect on LinkedIn here: You can find out about her work as a photographer: www.lettydavid.com / @PhotographyLettyDavid

The post HOW TO INTEGRATE & GET A JOB IN FRANCE IN 4 STEPS appeared first on Bordeaux Expats.

Bordeaux has been James’s home for the past 7 years, but his connection to region goes back much further. He was born, raised and studied in England, but spent every summer and school holidays in France as his father lived in the Médoc most of his life.  So, he’s been flying to and from Bordeaux since the days when British Airways only had 1 flight per week on a Saturday, compared to up to 15 per day from the UK in peak season now.

He says that he was lucky to grow up exposed to both cultures, and try to take the best of both worlds.

“I understand ‘la belle vie’ and don’t just love but respect food, merci La France. But you can’t shake off the politeness, efficiency and GSOH that comes from being a Brit”.

After working for a couple of years in France before, and during uni, straight out of an International Business degree James headed back in 2012 to start his “career” and to avoid a soulless graduate scheme in some satellite town of London.

Getting into teaching…

Like many other fresh Expats, he started in Bordeaux with the English teaching gig: working freelance for agencies, being expected to work like an employee without the perks.

“I thought I was balling to begin with: “Ohhhh €15-20 per hour, that’s much more than minimum wage !!! Get in!” I would convince myself: not factoring in travel time, lesson planning, no holiday pay and extremely limited social security”.

The precarity and pittance soon pushed him to up his game. He managed to sneak a foot in the door of a business school and has since developed his activity to lecturing in 4 different schools with over 450 students per year.

These days it’s less and less English teaching, with many classes of his classes focusing on Web Marketing, Digital Strategy and Change Management with regular but impromptu “lessons” on what perplexes many students here: respect, work-ethic and speaking because you have something to say, not because you have to say something.

“I genuinely do love teaching though and never expected to become a teacher. It allows you to meet people from all walks of life and to really understand how people live here in Bordeaux. When starting off working with “particuliers” I worked with ages ranging from 7 to 77!

Higher education works differently in France to the Anglo-saxon system however. In a nutshell, on the one hand you can go to public uni which is basically free but you may struggle to get a seat in the amphitheatre, your teacher will rarely know your name and you can expect months off at a time due to strikes. This might explain the 50% dropout rate after 1st year?

On the other hand, you’ve got private business schools where either you work on apprenticeship (“Alternance”) and your company pays for your studies (and gets you as cheap labour), or your rents stump up the hefty tuition fees without government loans etc like in the UK (there’s also the grand-ecole system but we’ll save that for another day…)”.

Nowadays, he only work with young “adults” between 18-25 in private business schools. The interactions are priceless and he can easily see how to manage/enjoy the more difficult egos.

“You’ve got the archetypal blasé bourgeois kid repeating his 2nd year for the third time, always late except for at the end of lesson when his coat is on and bag is packed with 10 minutes left. Just like the ones who drop Verlan and Arabic in convo saying “ouech” like their “frères” in the banlieue, but themselves have two good catholic first names, the first one is Jean, the second either Pierre, Paul, François or Baptiste. I’m guessing they don’t speak like that during Sunday lunch with the family at the weekend house in the Bassin however”.

But for every one of these clichés, he has come across even more top-notch hard-working and ambitious students, some of whom have become his close friends and really makes his job worthwhile.

From the classroom to the coast…

For all the peaks and troughs of the classroom, the teaching gig only represents 8 months of the year. Thanks to the ridiculously long summer holidays, from April to September you can find James up on the Médoc coast where for 3 years, he and his best mate from uni, have been running an active glamping holiday operator, “Sanctuary Surf”.

They’re located just next to Plage Le Pin Sec near Hourtin, a wild beach with only basic amenities meaning you avoid the hoards in Lacanau and the Bassin.

The concept is to offer the hotel experience under canvas, showcasing the best France has to offer in terms of food, drink (wine) & nature, whilst providing access to surfing on Europe’s longest beaches & standup paddle boarding on the country’s largest freshwater lake.

If good vibes, having fun in the sun, being outdoors and enjoying fine cuisine appeal. Escape the city for the weekend and join them out in their little corner of paradise.

The post FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE COAST – JAMES MARTIN appeared first on Bordeaux Expats.

It’s a great way of injecting French popular culture into your day, during your commute, workout, or downtime, and will provide you with something to talk about with French people.

Here is a selection of hits you’ll hear on the radio this spring. Try reading the lyrics while you listen, and practice translating them to boost your French skills.

Author Letty David

Patrick Fiori – Les gens qu’on aime

Written and composed for Patrick Fiori by Jean Jacques Goldman (known for 1982 “Quand la musique est bonne” which is still a cult dance track), this catchy song has a lovely message. We’ll be humming it all summer. Goldman makes a cameo appearance in the official video clip; see if you can spot him.

Maître Gims – Miami Vice

Aside from his work with Sexion D’assaut, Maitre Gims’ voice has enlivened French radio with many solo hits including “J’me Tire” (2013) and “Sapés comme jamais” (2015). Miami Vice is is his latest release.

Zaz – Demain C’est Toi

Her first single “Je Veux” (2010) made Zaz famous and is a radio classic that you’ll hear while walking round the supermarket. “Demain C’est Toi” is a hauntingly beautiful track from her new album “Effet Miroir”.

Angèle – Balance Ton Quoi

Referencing the #MeToo movement (called #BalanceTonPorc in France), 22 year old Angèle’s upbeat song is a feminist anthem whose video clip is a hilarious comment about the patriarchy.

Clara Luciani – La Grenade

Another rising star in the French music industry, Clara Luciani’s lyrics in “La Grenade” are a battle cry for all women.

Jenifer – Slimane, Les Choses Simples

Since winning the first season of “La Star Academy” in 2002, Jenifer has released many hit songs and been a coach on “The Voice”. For “Les Choses Simples”, she collaborated with Slimane (who won “The Voice” in 2016).

Calogero – On se sait par cœur

The video clip for “On se sait par cœur” was filmed live at the Olympia in Paris during Calogero’s hugely successful “Liberté Chérie” tour.

Kendji Girac, Claudio Capéo – Que Dieu me Pardonne

“Que Dieu me Pardonne”’s gypsy-pop vibe reunites two singers from “The Voice” whose budding friendship could lead to even greater musical achievements.

Patrick Bruel – Pas Eu Le Temps

A veteran French star of stage and screen, Patrick Bruel’s latest song is a melancholic yet upbeat reflection on the passage of time.

Maëlle – Toutes Les Machines ont un Coeur

In 2018, Maëlle was the first female winner of “The Voice” at only 17. Her first single was composed by Calogero and questions our technology-dependant society, reminding us that behind each screen is a human being.

About the author:

Letty David was born and brought up in France but her family is originally British. Being bilingual but not understanding British culture at all, she wanted to learn all about it so she spent 5 years in Scotland catching up on English TV, discovering Scottish music, and bingeing on curry… She is now proud to call herself not only bilingual but bicultural. She is happy to be back in France, even though she knows that she’ll never properly fit in anywhere because she’s not 100% British or French… She is however a true European!

Letty specialises in communications, and she would be happy to connect on LinkedIn here: You can find out about her work as a photographer: www.lettydavid.com / @PhotographyLettyDavid

The post LEARN FRENCH BY LISTENING TO THE RADIO appeared first on Bordeaux Expats.