At Mômji, we like to share the experiences of our babysitters and language teachers. Most of them are international students moving to a large French city. Many of them are fascinated by France and wish to share their native culture.
This week, we heard from Neve, originally from New York (Brooklyn).
Hello Neve, can you introduce yourself?
My name is Neve, I am 22 years old, and I grew up in the United States. When I was in high school, I started learning French for several reasons. First of all because I heard that some of my ancestors came from France.
In addition, I had a girl from Paris in my class, and we became friends very quickly. She had made the effort to learn my language: as a mark of respect for her, I wanted to do the same. And French is so pretty to hear!
When did you arrive in France?
That was two years ago, in September. I chose to do an exchange at the Sorbonne, for a Master in Art History. In partnership with Columbia University.
I have always been fascinated by History, and in Paris, historical vestiges are everywhere: you can see buildings from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the 18th century, etc ...
We don’t have that in the United States: our oldest monuments are 200 or 300 years old. Besides, I had never been to Europe. It was an opportunity for me to discover other major cities, such as Brussels, London or Amsterdam.
What surprised you the most?
To hear people speaking French everywhere (laughs)! At the beginning, we always feel a bit nervous.
And I had never been this far from home. Then, while walking in the street the following days, I was struck by the elegance of Parisian girls: with fairly simple clothes, they manage to create something very pretty. They really deserve their reputation.
On the other hand, of course, I knew that all French people did not wear marnière and were not snails eaters!
Another big surprise for me is the easy access to culture: I had the chance to grow up in New York, but in most cities in the United States, there aren't as many museums or libraries. And sometimes it is very expensive, whereas in Paris, students have lots of discounts!
Did you have some issues while living in France?
Yes, when I started looking for an apartment 😊 When I was still in the United States, I did not want to accept anything without visiting. I stayed three weeks in a youth hostel. It was nice, but I wanted to have my own room.
Fortunately, I found a good roommate in the 12th arrondissement: and we were all foreigners: I was with a Canadian and a Brazilian 😊
How did you hear about Mômji?
At the Sorbonne, I quickly became a friend of Tarah, a girl from San Francisco. She was looking for a babysitting job in Paris.
Then she heard about Mômji, a company that encourages nannies to speak in their mother tongue with the little ones they are looking after.
I love children, and it was an opportunity for me to speak English on a daily basis. After a while, you miss your mother tongue 😊
So I had an interview, then I met the family, who lived in Courbevoie, near La Défense.
How was the experience with the family?
I had to babysit little Theo, who was six at the time. He was starting to learn to read and write in French, and his parents wanted him to learn his first words in English.
Suddenly, I devoted part of the childcare to English games, and Theo loved it. Very quickly, he asked for more, even when I had to leave!
The family was really welcoming, they even took me for a weekend in Brittany, the region they come from. I was able to see Saint-Malo and Mont Saint-Michel, I loved it! 😊
What advice would you give to young people who are still hesitating to have an experience in France?
Living abroad is a unique experience! I can understand this is a little scary but tell yourself that you might not have this experience 20 times in your life! I will never forget my year in France: I made lots of friends, I met a great family, and I did more than just babysit. I managed to bond with Theo, and we still Skype from time to time to keep in touch, with him and his parents 😉
Want to join our community? Click here to apply
