Advertise on podcast: Small talks - French with Anne

In this episode, I talk about our summer 2026 as a family: Mexico City for the kids with their Dad, then Etienne leaving for France to visit my parents and finally, reunion with my parents and my sister in Brittany . Just amazing! Now back to school! Arghhh

In this episode, I speak about the crucial question that most of my students ask me at the end of their training which is: how do I maintain my skills? My answer is always the same: invest time and be kind and patient to yourself. But, of course, I also recommend a few applications which I find very useful. Here are the links below: https://lingua.com/fr https://mauril.ca/fr https://fr.duolingo.com https://reussir-tcfcanada.com

In this episode, I talk about the recent months with the passing of my step son William at the age of 14. I share how difficult it has been to find a new balance in our lives and what it took and still takes us to get through this difficult time. I also talk about our Christmas and how we celebrated it as well as our upcoming to Costa Rica where we will be spending Easter there. We will be landing in San Jose and then making our way down to Jaco Beach for a week there.

In this episode, I share my thoughts about being a mum off two teenagers and how difficult it can be to let go of them in order for them to gain their independence. I talk about "trouver sa place" which translates as finding your place in life.

In this episode ,I tell you all about my latest trip to Colombia with Bill. We had not planned to go there originally but on our search for a destination, Cartagena caught our attention. Being there was amazing! We loved it! From the people, the culture, the food and the music, everything was amazing.

In this episode, I talk about our trip to Punta Cana with the kids. It was for our family moon and what can I say? It was absolutely wonderful: from the beach, the weather to the excursion and the hotel. And most importantly, our kids. Spending time was just a delight and we realized how precious those times are. We already knew it but it was even more special this time around.

In this episode, I talk about the new addition to our already chaotic family but what an addition! Snoopy is our new puppy and we are so grateful for him. He became part of our family thanks to one of my students, Caroline, who entered a competition with a breeder of Aussidoodle to win a puppy for her daughter. When speaking to me about it, I realized that it would be great to make that plunge and get a dog for our four children and for me too. Snoopy is adorable despite chewing on everything around him. We lost a few pair of shoes and cushions but it,s worth it!

In this episode, I talk about our wedding day. I explain why it was a long process to get everything ready (sourcing caterer, venue, wasters, decor, dresses, suits, wedding cake). I also mention how the kids helped with cleaning all the cutlery that we used for the wedding dinner. I also thank Cassy and Lee for providing a wonderful Italian meal along with a special thanks to the team of waiters who were just so attentive. For the music, we had a great DJ, Daniel and my student, Kent and his girlfriend Emily, who played some acoustic music. It was just our idea of perfect! Finally, what was amazing and touching is to see how everybody was happy for us. We couldn't have wished for a better day! Can we do it again?

In this episode, I talk about our summer 2024 where many things happen at the same time so juggling was a skill we developed: moving places, getting married and adopting a puppy. The moral of the story: nothing is perfect but when you follow your heart, it makes it right.

In this episode, I talk about how important my family and friends are to me and how despite being far away from them, I think of them every day. I also explain how excited I am to see them in August for our big event and how I will help them organise their trip to Quebec by setting up a WhatsApp to share places to visit and things to do while they are vacationing.

In this episode, I talk about the moments of happiness I have had since my last episode: - our game nights with Laila and Ricardo, Ian and June and our Italian caterers and friends now, Cassy and Lee. - my beef bourguignon - our renovations with the help of Jesus - Mother's day - and finally, my new students: Marie-Amandine, Daira and Sara

In this episode, I talk about the brunch we were invited to on Sunday at our Polish friends, Kris and Aga. As usual, they welcomed us with open arms. They prepared a traditional Polish Easter lunch: a soup to start with, sausages and boiled eggs and many desserts including a cheesecake, a chocolate tart and a Panetonne. We discussed our traditions around Easter and also shared recommendations for good books and movies to watch. Friends and good times. Nothing better than that. Happy Easter!

In this episode, I talk about Valentine's day and the legends behind it. I also talk about the French expressions related to love and how the world celebrates it. Enjoy and Happy Valentine's to everybody!

In this episode, I talk about career week at my son's school. It is a week where parents are invited to talk about their profession. Etienne asked me to participate in it and I was glad to do it. The students and the teacher, Miss Antonia, were so welcoming. They asked great questions. Later this year, I explain how I will help Etienne's teacher organise the graduation party for his class to celebrate the end of their primary school years. Today is also my son's birthday so I wish him a great 12th birthday!

In this episode, I wish everybody a happy new year! I resume what we did as a family for Christmas and our New Year holidays. I also explain why we have been busy lately with our upcoming wedding and how much our kids participated in the planning. I also explained how 2024 started off with new students and new challenges. Happy listening!