Do you want to know a bit more about France? Then check this interview with Luciana Tie Watanabe Vermorel, who I studied with in college. She's married to a French guy, Thomas, and they have been living in Paris since 2006.
How did you guys meet and started dating?
Tie - We’ve met in a nightclub in São Paulo, called A Loca. Thomas was visiting Brazil for the first time and we had a friend in common who introduced us. We’ve spent a couple of days together and then Thomas left to Salvador. We’ve kept in touch for some months then he came back to São Paulo. We started dating at that moment and we’re together since then, despite the times we’ve had to stay apart due to our different home countries.
How long have you been married and where did you marry?
Tie - We got married in December 2006, in Paris. We’ve been living in this city since then, in a small apartment near Republic metro station.
How long have you been living in France? First, you lived in England, right? Tell us about your experience living abroad.
Tie - It’s difficult to say because I’ve come to France in three different times. At first, I’ve spent three months in Lyon to learn French. Then, I’ve come to Paris for six months – and in the end of the sixth month we got married. Finally, I came back to Paris in March 2007 to restart my life over here definitely. Before my stay in Lyon, I’ve spent 7 months in London to improve my English skills. I’ve followed an English course and I’ve worked in a café called Amano. During this time, Thomas joined me for three months, but he’d left before my departure. We’ve shared a house with many people, most of them Brazilians, and we’ve made some friends at work too. It was an amazing experience, which was regretful only when we think about the food. I’ve found it was tasteless and fat – and sometimes overpriced.
What were the main difficulty you faced? How did you get your first job? What do you do now?
Tie - In the beginning, the main difficulties were to learn French without any classes and the European winter. It was very hard, but Thomas and his family and friends helped me a lot. Once I’ve learned how to express myself in a different language, I’ve had to deal with small problems due to the different cultures. I consider myself very optimist and cheerful, and the common sense says that French people are grumpy. So, sometimes I had the impression that I sounded silly or stupid for them. I’ve got my first job in France thanks to my brother-in-law Guillaume, who introduced me to an agency of temporary work. Since then, I've worked as a receptionist. I’ve been to different workplaces and now I work to the cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine, a museum specialised in architecture and French monuments.
What do you miss most about São Paulo?
Tie - My family and friends, but also the 24h/7 days commerce, the nightlife and the nice restaurants with reasonable prices.
What are your favorite places in Brasil and in France?
Tie - Tough question. I love São Paulo wholly ‘cause it’s my hometown, but I also love the Brazilian beaches – impossible to name just one. Although, last vacation we’ve been to Altes do Chão and we’ve simply loved it. In France, I love to live in Paris ‘cause you have a nice surprise in every corner. It can be a beautiful building or a pleasant square. In Paris, I love to go to the Marais, the Buttes-Chaumont park, the canal de Saint-Martin, and many others places I would talk hours to name. I also adore the old district of Saint-Jean, in Lyon.
How did you guys meet and started dating?
Tie - We’ve met in a nightclub in São Paulo, called A Loca. Thomas was visiting Brazil for the first time and we had a friend in common who introduced us. We’ve spent a couple of days together and then Thomas left to Salvador. We’ve kept in touch for some months then he came back to São Paulo. We started dating at that moment and we’re together since then, despite the times we’ve had to stay apart due to our different home countries.
How long have you been married and where did you marry?
Tie - We got married in December 2006, in Paris. We’ve been living in this city since then, in a small apartment near Republic metro station.
How long have you been living in France? First, you lived in England, right? Tell us about your experience living abroad.
Tie - It’s difficult to say because I’ve come to France in three different times. At first, I’ve spent three months in Lyon to learn French. Then, I’ve come to Paris for six months – and in the end of the sixth month we got married. Finally, I came back to Paris in March 2007 to restart my life over here definitely. Before my stay in Lyon, I’ve spent 7 months in London to improve my English skills. I’ve followed an English course and I’ve worked in a café called Amano. During this time, Thomas joined me for three months, but he’d left before my departure. We’ve shared a house with many people, most of them Brazilians, and we’ve made some friends at work too. It was an amazing experience, which was regretful only when we think about the food. I’ve found it was tasteless and fat – and sometimes overpriced.
What were the main difficulty you faced? How did you get your first job? What do you do now?
Tie - In the beginning, the main difficulties were to learn French without any classes and the European winter. It was very hard, but Thomas and his family and friends helped me a lot. Once I’ve learned how to express myself in a different language, I’ve had to deal with small problems due to the different cultures. I consider myself very optimist and cheerful, and the common sense says that French people are grumpy. So, sometimes I had the impression that I sounded silly or stupid for them. I’ve got my first job in France thanks to my brother-in-law Guillaume, who introduced me to an agency of temporary work. Since then, I've worked as a receptionist. I’ve been to different workplaces and now I work to the cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine, a museum specialised in architecture and French monuments.
What do you miss most about São Paulo?
Tie - My family and friends, but also the 24h/7 days commerce, the nightlife and the nice restaurants with reasonable prices.
What are your favorite places in Brasil and in France?
Tie - Tough question. I love São Paulo wholly ‘cause it’s my hometown, but I also love the Brazilian beaches – impossible to name just one. Although, last vacation we’ve been to Altes do Chão and we’ve simply loved it. In France, I love to live in Paris ‘cause you have a nice surprise in every corner. It can be a beautiful building or a pleasant square. In Paris, I love to go to the Marais, the Buttes-Chaumont park, the canal de Saint-Martin, and many others places I would talk hours to name. I also adore the old district of Saint-Jean, in Lyon.
