Home » News » From the Parisian Suburbs to New York: The Journey of Cécilia Jourdan, Creator of HelloFrench

From the Parisian Suburbs to New York: The Journey of Cécilia Jourdan, Creator of HelloFrench

What pushes a young woman to move to the United States after her baccalaureate in France?

There aren’t a lot of reasons to move away from your family when you’re young: a whim, a professional opportunity, love at first sight. For my part, I decided to follow someone. But I have the feeling that I have always wanted and needed to do it, because of my background. I was very lucky to travel with my parents and my brother. I have also always been immersed in travel stories. My parents wanted to show us that what we were experiencing was not necessarily the standard and to confront us very early on with others. I particularly remember a trip to Senegal, which particularly marked me. In turn, I wanted to confront life abroad, build myself elsewhere and leave my very protective bubble in the Parisian suburbs.

Cécilia Jourdan, from a very young age in the artistic world

At barely 18 years old, here I am on American soil, with my baccalaureate, my license and three suitcases.

Regarding my studies, I didn’t feel like I was falling into a traditional pattern. I like risk and challenge. Besides, I think that an expatriate has the particularity of being ready to let go of everything and throw oneself wholeheartedly into an experience, to take a beating and to be confronted with the unknown. In short, I wanted to give up everything to find out who I really was. I’m taking the SAT, a benchmark exam that allows you to study in the United States. My parents support me. At barely 18 years old, here I am on American soil, with my baccalaureate, my license and three suitcases.

I stayed in Miami for three years, learning English and Spanish at university. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do yet. I danced, I sang and I played music. To tell you the truth, Star Academy was my dream when I was little! One day, I joined a musical theater conservatory for two years. Clairvoyant, I realize that I am not at the level and am moving towards acting. I’m going to New York to join a film conservatory. At the same time, I work hard, I do a lot of castings and give French lessons.

But besides, where does this appetite for language and learning foreign languages ​​come from?

I have always been fascinated by foreign languages ​​and learning them. A language is closely linked to a culture, as is language. It conveys several messages: the origin, humor, way of interacting and typical behaviors of a culture. Language impacts our way of thinking and vice versa. It takes on a character of identity, an abyss of French culture.

Today, I have more of a continental accent, which means that it is difficult to detect that I am French.

From 2010 to 2020, I gave private French lessons to around a hundred students. I created a network, while pushing the conversational aspect which enriched me enormously. Because the primary goal in learning a foreign language is for me to communicate and be understood. Mistakes are not serious, the important thing is fluid communication.

Little by little, I realized that I was developing my own method. At the same time, I also realize that my French accent limits opportunities, particularly during castings. I then embarked on intense accent reduction training for two years. I’m learning a lot about sounds and the phonetic alphabet (IPA), trying to understand how sounds occur in American English. There is also a story of rhythm and intonation. For example, the French tend to go downward at the end of a word or sentence. Whereas English is more musical. All this fascinates me! Today, I have more of a “continental” accent, which means that it is difficult to detect that I am French. I feel more comfortable in English. I think and dream in English.

It is very important to understand that following Hellofrench is not following an influencer, but rather French life at its most authentic.

With your wife, Criselis Pérez, you create Hello French in 2020, an account that “rethinks French culture and language” and brings together the largest Francophile community in the world on Instagram. Tell us…

HelloFrench brings together the pieces of a puzzle that represents my life. We throw the Instagram account in July 2020, at the heart of the pandemic. Our goal today is to transmit the French spirit to a growing Francophile community around the world, through short, fun, educational and always thoughtful content; with humor as the best vehicle to convey a message. It is very important to understand that following HelloFrench is not following an influencer, but rather French life in its most authentic form, at least how I, Cécilia, understand it, Today, HelloFrench describes but does not prescribe. We will not say that we must express ourselves this way or behave this way. Nuances and differences are essential.

Our goal is to have a global reach with educational value. Today, we are followed in the United States, France, Canada and the United Kingdom, but not only that: the community extends to India, Latin America and Asia. We aim to strengthen our French learning guides, organize masterclasses, create a language school with the Hellofrench method and strengthen the community outside of social networks. I can’t say more at the moment.

Cecilica Jourdan gives French lessons in NY at the Hunter school in 2014

Why is it important for you to present, or even defend, French culture and language abroad – in a fun and contemporary way -?

When I arrived in the United States, I felt a craze for France and the French language around me. This French soft power intrigued me a lot. There is a desire to understand France. Foreigners watch films, series, read books, organize a tourist trip. But not everyone necessarily has the chance to live in France and perceive its spirit. This is where HelloFrench comes in to show the French spirit without mystifying French life. Because, of course, many stereotypes exist, especially around French women, the untouchable…. For that, we play a lot with cliché to show precisely that it is a cliché. Humor is our vehicle because, to convey a message, you must not be too direct to allow it to be understood. The content on the Parisienne is a lot of fun but we also try to show other facets, with a guide to Paris for example.

We will one day approach the subject of sexuality, in the most impactful and nuanced way possible

Your content covers a wide range of subjects, ranging from language, cultural differences between French and Americans, but also culture LGBTQ+ to mental health. Can we find out more about the next themes covered?

Mental health and women are at the center of HelloFrench’s thinking. We would like to go further and address the place of women in society, particularly their relationship with men. I realize that in New York the recognition of women is more advanced: she is an entrepreneur, independent, she has money, power, she succeeds without necessarily being attached to a masculine figure or to a traditional path, to maternity or marital status. In France, mentalities are slowly changing at this level. I am obviously not criticizing having children or getting married at all, but rather this potential moral and social pressure to conform. We are still too often scrutinized and HelloFrench wishes to address this theme more strongly.

There is another one that is important to us: sexuality. I think about angles and formats because we can’t talk about everything willy-nilly. I haven’t yet figured out how to approach such a subject. If HelloFrench exists, it is for the Francophile community which interacts enormously and I want to respect this interaction. We will address this subject one day, in the most impactful and nuanced way possible.

Cecilia Jourdan and her wife Criselis Pérez, By Cassell Ferere

I consider life to be a game. Every day we play a game and the game only ends at the end of life. So much so that it is impossible to lose.

Parisian in New York or New Yorker in Paris, how do you identify yourself today?

Concretely, I have American and French nationality. But is our identity a reflection of our passport? I do not think so. Mine is very fluid and not fixed. I am Parisian by birth without having chosen it. On the other hand, I chose to live in New York. Like the puzzle that is HelloFrench, I am still putting mine together. Who knows, one day I will go and live elsewhere with my wife. I would love to live in Japan and learn the language there.

I consider life to be a game. Every day we play a game and the game only ends at the end of life. So much so that it is impossible to lose. Failure is seen simply as a round that will be replayed the next day. I have had failures in my life, a lot of struggles, different jobs. I took professional and sentimental slaps. I find that seeing the game takes a lot of pressure off. In France, we are still too afraid of failure and change. I like to be wrong. My ego a little less obviously!

Cécilia Jourdan By Ryan Sides

According to you, the secret to a happy life is “wine, cheese and bread”. And in the United States as an expatriate there?

Have time, bacon and a good cocktail!


2024-02-04 17:01:32
#Cécilia #Jourdan #HelloFrench #reveals #French #spirit #humor #authenticity

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