Get French-ified with Sylvie Galli
Meet Sylvie Galli, a French/English teacher with over 30 years of experience and cross-cultural coach who has helped thousands of international people feel at home in France and communicate fluidly in French.
Sylvie is an entrepreneur, owner, and director of FrenchExpress. She originally studied history, got interested in cultures, travelled the world, and finally settled back at her birthplace on the Côte d’Azur, to bring cultures closer through language.
Watch the full interview here:
As foreigners living in France, let us admit there was a point where we all struggled with the language and wished for someone who understood what we are going through could provide us with an easy solution. In the past three decades, Sylvie has worked with large multinational as well as smaller companies, within groups and just with individuals - all to improve their French skills and knowledge on how to ‘survive’ in a new culture.
Do you really have to know the language to feel at home somewhere? You don’t need to be perfect at it, but it is always a great way to show appreciation and be polite towards your host country, and you will find, more and more people will warm up to you and eventually make you feel at home.
In this uncertain and changing situation, mastering the local language can help you with a career shift, better understand the administrative systems and communicate with neighbours that you suddenly had so much time to discover. It is not a problem that you are at home as Sylvie has a great experience teaching virtually via Zoom or Skype.
She has developed her own methods and written the study books that are adapted to beginners, intermediate and advanced students. She can also perfect your business French, your writing skills, and as a bonus, she offers a special package of a weekend getaway to her lovely home an hour away from Nice in the Alpes, where you can have a staycation and study, not just the language, but also the French culture, with her at the same time!
Should you choose to study in an individual setting, Sylvie is on the list of CPF (Compte Personnel de Formation – personal training account). All you have to do to see if you are eligible for government financing is to create an account on CPF website. Check the amount you are entitled to, choose the course with Sylvie and enjoy! She can also walk you through the process or ask your company’s HR for further information on CPF financing.
Sylvie speaks 3 languages comfortably including, English and Spanish, therefore she can explain everything in a common language which comes very handy especially when it gets to the so-called ‘exceptions’ in the rules. She is always positive, friendly and full of energy. She can adapt her hours, very flexible even if it is a bank holiday, she is there to help you.
Check out her website on https://frenchexpress.fr or connect with her on LinkedIn to have a first discussion and start to level up your French!