French for the Future » Featured Student: David Des Rosiers

Featured Student: David Des Rosiers

April's featured student is David Des Rosiers. David studies education at York University's bilingual campus, Glendon. Here at French for the Future, we have been very lucky to have him among us during his practical internship. Thanks for all your great work, David!

David with Kristin, our other wonderful intern!

David... according to David:
What can I say about myself? … I am Québécois, born to a Haitian father and a Québécoise mother. However, I was born in Strasbourg, in Northern France, where I lived for the first five years of my life before my family settled back in Montreal.

I travelled in England, Indi and the Ivory Coast. For me, borders between countries are merely virtual. One of my passions is travelling and discovering how people live their daily lives. I love food and I love trying out new dishes and restaurants. I guess it’s another way of travelling!

I have worked as a journalist and financial advisor, but my passion is really teaching. I am currently studying “enseignement du français” at York University, at the Glendon campus in Toronto. I consider myself lucky to be on a small campus where students come from all countries of the Francophonie.

Name: David Des Rosiers
Grade: universitaire
City: Toronto
First language: French
Favourite music/artist: Electro-groove, jazz, Indie-Rock, etc. MV Mister Valaire (It’s all good)
Favourite food: Duck filet from the Lac Brôme
Favourite French book: La part de l'autre by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt.
Favourite way to practice French: Conversations in French on campus with my friends.

Why he thinks it’s important to learn French: For me, it’s an important part of my identity. There is no better language in which to translate all the subtleties of the mind, literature and… love!

Best experience en français: When I arrived on Glendon campus from Montréal, I discovered an rich and diverse international Francophonie, more thriving than I could have imagined! I love being about to discuss in French with Franco-Ontarians, Senegalese, and French one day and then with Quebecois, Swiss or Haitians the next!

The coolest Francophone country is, in his opinion: Canada, because of its great cultural diversity and multiple Francophone communities.

How he will use his French skills in the future: I want to start writing again. Write a journal, maybe a blog. I would like to share my ideas and get new ones with the Francophone world.

Where he would like to go: To Vietnam! The Vietnamese culture has always fascinated me and I love being completely out of my element when I travel! But as a former French colony, many people there speak French fluently.

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