This is the first of a two-part interview with very friendly and passionate French concert pianist Laurent Boukobza. In this episode, we got into a fascinating discussion about: what is talent? What is gift? What is art? Listen now! Episode Timeline [05 min 08 sec] Talking about French Voices, former guests and dialects [09 min 00 sec] Becoming a professional concert pianist: the French system [13 min 50 sec] The American system [16 min 28 sec] Talent vs gift [18 min 34 sec] Can anyone learn playing the piano? [19 min 47 sec] TV talent shows [21 min 20 sec] A definition of an … Read More →

Today’s episode is about one of the most famous French specialties, the produce that many consider as the crème de la crème: cheese!! Matthieu, Megard, the owner of L’Artisan Cheese based in Geelong Australia produces a range of organic French Style cheeses with the most traditional, French techniques and recipes. Get an insight into the wide world of all there is to know to make great cheese. You’ll also find out why cheese smells…and the answer may really (I mean REALLY) surprise you!! Episode Timeline [05 min 48 sec] When Matthieu arrived in Australia [06 min 47 sec] How he decided to … Read More →

French Assist is a non-profit association based in Queensland Australia. The association helps French speakers who need assistance for various reasons for a whole range of reasons, including moral support for lonely expats or even visitors ending up in hospital. The association is run by volunteers, so listen to Rosa Dedaj, the current President, as she raises awareness about their work. It’s a great way to acknowledge and support the actions of these big-hearted, helpful people ! Episode Timeline [06 min 38 sec] What is French Assist? [09 min 30 sec] Location and field of action [12 min … Read More →

Note: This is Part 2 of our discussion with Ludovic (listen to Part 1 in Episode 31 of French Voices). Ludovic is a fellow teacher of French as a Foreign Language – we studied together at uni. Ludovic will start by giving us an introduction to Swedish language (if you’re not Swedish, you’ll get a mini Swedish lesson!). Pay attention to how Ludovic describes this foreign language and draws parallels with French – this illustrates how we are trained to work as language teachers, making us aware of what difficulties our students are more likely to face: with pronunciation, syntax, etc. We … Read More →

In this episode, you'll get an insight of the other side of the teaching and learning process, that is, the point of view of a language teacher. Ludovic and I were in the same class in our final year of Masters studies of French as a Foreign Language. After 8 years each following our own paths, it was very interesting to share and compare our experiences! The conversation comes in 2 parts (Episode 32 of French Voices will be released on 15th January 2016) This part is about how Ludovic and I were trained to become French teachers. We'll also follow how Ludovic eventually settled in … Read More →

For this last episode of the year, let’s celebrate Christmas in the tropics with the second interview of Franck, from Noumea’s tourist office in New Caledonia! If you haven’t listened to our first conversation yet, it was episode 28 of French Voices. In this episode, we’re going more in depth into the past convict history of New Caledonia – which is somewhat similar to Australia’s history. The second part of the episode will be about food, plants, animals and typical souvenirs from New Caledonia. And finally, Franck and I will compare the French and Caledonian lifestyles, and also talk … Read More →