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Meet the team: Susie

Coffee Break Languages

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Hi! My name is Susie and I started working as a Curriculum Developer for Radio Lingua in 2018. I’m from Glasgow originally but I grew up in Strasbourg in France and I speak English, French, and Scottish Gaelic.

What is your role in Coffee Break?

I develop learning materials for Coffee Break French and Coffee Break Gaelic, such as lesson notes, and audio and video content. I also give online feedback to learners taking part in the French Masterclass.

What experience have you had speaking and learning other languages?

I was brought up in a multicultural and multilingual environment in Strasbourg in France. I attended an international school where I was educated bilingually in English and French. I also learned German and Spanish at school and studied Scottish Gaelic at university. Since graduating, I have used languages in many different jobs including transcription, translation, teaching, interpreting and academic research.

What are your favourite memories of working with Coffee Break?

I’ve really enjoyed working on the content for the French and Gaelic podcasts. It’s great to see all the elements come together to produce the recordings! I also enjoy all the chats about language we have in the office!

Where would your ideal coffee break be and with whom?

My ideal coffee break would be a café au lait with a croissant fourré at one of the local cafés in Strasbourg with my family.

What’s your best language-learning tip?

Read and listen to the language you’re learning whenever you can. Watch films and TV shows in that language. The more you see and hear the language, the better!

Quick-fire round

Favourite Language: French and Gaelic

Favourite word/phrase in the language: In Gaelic, sìde nan seachd sian which literally means “weather of the seven elements” and is used to describe changeable Scottish weather. In French, n’importe quoi – I love this expression because there isn’t really an equivalent in any other language I know!

Favourite film: One of my favourite French films is La Fille du Puisatier

Favourite book: Two of my favourite French books are Un Long Dimanche de Fiançailles by Sebastien Japrisot and Le Très-Bas by Christian Bobin.

Favourite destination: Ayrshire in Scotland, Alsace in France and Galway in Ireland

Do you have a message for the Coffee Break community?

Learning a language is one of the most worthwhile things you can do. An understanding of language gives you more than just the ability to communicate. It gives you new ways of viewing the world around you.

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