Aloyse L   

New tutor

French is too serious to be boring.

What is your favorite word in your language and why?

I love this question! I think my favorite French word is “gourmander.” A keen observer might spot “gourmand” in it, and they’d be right! You might expect it to mean something like “to eat with great enjoyment,” or something related to the pleasures of food. But no! French has a few surprises up its sleeve! “Gourmander” actually means “to scold someone” or “to reprimand them,” and quite sharply at that! In everyday conversation, I really enjoy saying “Avec grand plaisir” (With great pleasure), which, depending on who I’m speaking to, can be perfectly polite or just ironic enough to leave them wondering.

What is your favorite dish from your hometown? If you no longer live there is there a good local restaurant that serves it?

It's both incredibly unoriginal and terribly dramatic. My favourite food? Anything involving cheese. But cheese has to be the main character! My biggest red flag when I'm abroad? Being willing to spend an outrageously large portion of my budget on cheese whenever I spot some. And you know the worst part? I'm not even from a region famous for its cheese! I'm from Brittany. Where I come from, we're exceptionally good at making food that's ridiculously high in calories. We cook with salted butter, and we're particularly talented when it comes to pork products! A word to the brave: if you ever visit my part of France, give andouille de Guémené a try. I dare you!

Besides the languages you teach, do you speak or study any other languages?

I'm fluent in Spanish, and I obviously speak English. I also learned a bit of Thai, although my level is still very, very basic. It was a fascinating learning experience. I'm now quite familiar with Romance languages, but Thai is unlike anything I've ever encountered. It felt like learning to take your first steps all over again, after being used to walking for so long. I also "speak" Portuguese, although I'd be lying if I claimed to actually speak it. Let's just say I speak something called "Portuñol", which is a mix of Portuguese and Spanish, with a little touch of improvisation and a generous dose of patience from the people I'm talking to!

What are your interests outside of teaching at Strommen?

Apart from teaching at Strommen? I'd probably say I'm an avid reader. I go through phases when I spend most of my free time reading. At the moment, I'm reading *The Broken Earth Trilogy* by N. K. Jemisin. I can't wait to hear your recommendations! I also really enjoy playing video games. Actually, this medium has allowed me to stay connected with my closest friends, even while travelling here and there. Apart from that, I'm really into martial arts. I completely fell in love with Muay Thai while I was living in Thailand. And finally, I absolutely love scuba diving. There's a kind of peace down there, underwater, that I haven't been able to find anywhere else.

What do you consider your hometown? Why do you love it?

I spent my entire twenties trying to find my "perfect place", and I never did. But I learned something far more important along the way. To me, happiness doesn't come from the endless blue of the sea, the quiet of the mountains, or the hustle and bustle of a big city. It comes from the people you share your life with.