Meet Talent of the Month Cheney:
A New Expat Venture in Paris
Make sure to check out the full interview on Youtube here!
We are thrilled to introduce Cheney as our Expat Talent of the Month. It was a pleasure to connect with him and delve into discussions about his professional journey, his relocation to Paris, and his experience with Absolutely French, among other topics! Here’s a glimpse of his insights:
Please can you tell us a bit about you and let us know
why you expatriated to Paris?
My name is Cheney. I come from Macao, which is next to Hong Kong and known as the “Gambling Capital of the World” 🎲.
I came to Paris in September 2022 right after COVID with my wife as she got an internal transfer to L’Oréal Paris. 💼
For my wife and I, it has always been a dream of ours to work in Paris, so we pounced at the opportunity when it arrived! 🌟
Can you tell us a bit more about your career move to Paris?
I am currently working as a Global Retail Excellence Coordinator at RIMOWA, under the LVMH Group. 💼
My professional journey to Paris was a bit of a bumpy road. 🛣️ I was notified that there was a job visa issue after arriving in France in 2022. Living in a foreign country with limited communication skills and not knowing what to do in the future. It was fairly depressing. 😞 I barely stepped out of my apartment but sitting in front of my laptop, browsing through LinkedIn, applying to any available jobs and connecting to any HRs I could find. 💻
Nonetheless, it all turned around and at the end of February 2023, I received 2 interview invitations, one from RIMOWA and one from another company! 📅
I ended up choosing to go back to my old company to continue my career. Et voilà, here I am enjoying both my work and personal life in a beautiful country!
How long have you been with Absolutely French and how would you describe your time here?
I’ve been with Absolutely French for about 1 year. Absolutely French truly helped me a lot, especially during my lowest moment in Paris.
Everyone was super nice, friendly, and welcoming. I felt really depressed and lost during the jobless period. Joining Absolutely French really got me out of all those unpleasant feelings. I met a lot of different people and friends from all around the world, while learning the French language and culture in multiple ways. 🌍📚
I extremely appreciate all the support and help from the Absolutely French team and community! 🙌🏼
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What is your favourite French word?
My number 1 favourite French word is not really appropriate (Starts with an “M” 😅).
My “under 18” favourite French word is “voilà” – simple, easy to use and it explains a lot. ✨
What’s your favourite area of Paris?
I’m a massive foodie, so here are some food places I can really recommend: 🍽️
Fabula Cafe in Musée Carnavalet in Le Marais
Mamiche Boulangerie 🥖 (they do amazing sandwiches)
Sanukiya (Japanese Udon) – It’s amazing but don’t share it with your friends, the queue is already long enough! 🍜
How would you describe Paris in 3 words?
My first two words are magical and charming, and then my final word would be ‘marmite’.
If you like it you really love it, but if you don’t it’s very hard to fit in. Having Absolutely French definitely allowed me to love it whereas beforehand I didn’t really feel the charm of the city and found it busy and noisy. With Absolutely French, you kind of get addicted to the French way. 💼🥖🥐
Has the social and networking aspect of Absolutely French helped you settle into Paris?
Absolutely, I actually met two friends that I still hang out with even after they finished their course. 🤝
In the class I was in, everyone was super nice. It was really helpful for me to meet a lot of different people in similar situations as myself as an expat or expat spouse. It was great for me to start building a network. 🌐
The Key to creating a social network as an expatriate!
As our Expat Talent of the Month:
Do you have a quote or a mantra that you like or try to live by?
« The best is yet to come » – I strongly believe that everything will turn out well as long as you stay positive, just as it has done in my case here in Paris. 🌟😊
Do you have anything else you’d like to end on about Paris or your time at Absolutely French?
I have a few small tips or tricks that I found useful and that I hope will be helpful for others who are looking for a job in Paris:
Try to connect with the HRs in your targeted companies and reach out to them with your CV and Cover Letter. Ask for their advice and try to get your profile in their database first. 💼🔍
Many thanks to Cheney for providing such invaluable insight and for generously sharing his expatriation journey. A huge congratulations on being recognized as the Expat Talent of the Month!
Absolutely French is the leading French language school uniquely tailored for expatriates.
Through our engaging, friendly, and innovative French courses, we not only promise a seamless integration into French society but also an immersive cultural experience.
Are you an expatriate looking to master the French language and embrace the local culture?
Become Absolutely French!
Contact us!
Email: contact@absolutely-french.eu
Tel: 01 83 73 98 49
Address: 15 rue du Colonel Moll, 75017, Paris.