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Meet our team: Jenny

Where were you born and where did you spend your childhood?

I was born in France, in Brittany, but I didn’t actually grow up there. My family arrived in the Alps in the 80s, and in the Vallée du Giffre (Grand Massif) in 1987, I was 4 then.

What made you move to Morzine?

I don’t actually live in Morzine, but in Samoens, about 35 minutes away, I grew up there. When I was 19, I moved to London and somehow stayed there for 10 years. I kind of always thought I would come back at some point. The opportunity arose in 2013, and I took it!

What are your hobbies?

Snowboarding, horse-riding, riding my motorbike, travelling, eating good food, socializing…

When and why did you start teaching?

I started in 2009 in London as an ESL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) teacher. My brother had done the training and was enjoying his work, and I’d been working on my English for the last 6 years, so it was a kind of personal challenge as well as a career decision. Languages were always my strength, I enjoy analysing them, figuring out why they work the way they do and being able to explain that… so it seemed like a good move! When I came back to France, it also seemed logical to apply the same skills I had acquired to start teaching French as well.

What is your favourite restaurant in Morzine?

I can’t recommend a restaurant in Morzine, because I hardly ever come up for dinner, but my favourite restaurant around here is a place called “Le Monde à l’Envers” in Samoens. It’s brilliant, interesting, original food in a warm setting, my usual spot for special occasions.

What is your favourite thing to do in the winter?

Stay warm. I’m a big fan of staying warm! But I do love snowboarding with my friends on a nice day, and meeting up with everyone at the pub at the end, easy…

What is your favourite thing to do in the summer?

Summer is actually the season I prefer: it goes with my “staying warm” philosophy! Checking out the different lakes in the area, swimming, sunbathing… And for more action, riding my motorbike on the mountain roads, visiting new spots.

Where is the best place you’ve ever been on holiday?

That’s a difficult question, everywhere is different in my mind, and I can’t actually answer the question! As long as the food is good, there’s something to see and I meet a few nice people I’m happy!

What do you enjoy most about teaching?

It’s never the same. I can recycle a lesson, use it in two classes, one after the other, and there’s always going to be something different. It’s stressful and keeps me on my toes all the time, I have to be quick to answer questions, I have to adapt to different personalities and ways of learning, and also, I get to meet lots of different people from lots of different backgrounds… It’s basically all of this that makes it such a rewarding job!

What is your favourite French TV programme?

On a daily basis, I like watching the Canal + news: “Le petit/grand journal”. I find it covers a broader range of topics in an international order of importance rather than a national one. In terms of series, “Fais pas ci, fais pas ça” is pretty funny if a bit hectic, and “Les Revenants” which I believe have made it internationally!

What is your most valuable piece of advice for students learning French?

I find that it’s always the language we learn under pressure that we remember better. You can work on remembering words that you have been taught in class, but find yourself in a situation where you absolutely have to put your point across, and you’ll find that the words the French speaker in front of you said will stick to your memory forever. So be proactive and put yourself in those situations. Try, and keep trying.

March 31st, 2024
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Fund your language course using a government training budget (CPF or other finance options available)

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