Translator and coach
Sabrina Bery
After fifteen years in the Tourism industry, the Luxury Hospitality industry, and the restaurant business — including several years living and working abroad — I now support professionals in the tourism industry and learners around the world, guided by the same conviction: languages bring people together.
A Career Built on Hands-On Experience and Languages
For a long time, I described myself as a “globetrotter passionate about travel and languages” (or the “passionate about foreign cultures” version…)
But my years as a globetrotter are (relatively) far behind me, and I’ve come a long way since then…
My last big trip was in 2012 — and when I say “big trip,” I mean backpacking throughout a few countries for several months. Since then, let’s just say I’ve evolved into the less glamorous status of a tourist. I’m one of those people who don’t really like that word, which tends to have negative connotations these days. Is it because of my 15 years in the hospitality industry, or the fact that I’ve lived in tourist areas? Who knows.
A New Vision of Tourism
A different way to travel, a different way to learn
However, mass tourism as we’ve known it has already begun to evolve, and today there’s more than one way to travel and be a tourist. Tourism establishments — especially since the COVID-19 crisis — have had to reinvent themselves to attract a clientele that’s increasingly discerning not only about the quality of services but also about the environmental impact of the places they visit. My students, to whom I teach French as a foreign language (FLE), have restored my hope in a certain type of tourist — in other words, one who is respectful, open-minded, and eager to learn from others. Most of them are learning French to travel!
Why choose me?
years of experience in Tourism, Luxury Hospitality, and Gastronomy.
years spent living, working, and/or traveling abroad (USA, Australia, Canada, England, Southeast Asia).
years of experience as a translator, proofreader, and post editor in translation agencies and as a freelancer.
French teacher since November 2023, with learners from all walks of life.
Adapting, Rather Than Resisting
I had to reinvent my own career in the face of the AI boom, because I couldn’t see myself working in any field other than languages (after going back to school for five years, after all). So I adapted, and in addition to teaching French as a foreign language, I offer language support to professionals in the tourism industry — a service that complements (or even replaces!) AI.
Want to get to know me a little better?
Enough with the small talk. Here’s a little game I’ve been wanting to try for a while now: the Chinese portrait!
If I were a guilty pleasure
a nap: you have to know when to take the time to recharge.
If I were a sound
the ocean receding over the pebbles: there’s nothing like it after a rough day…
If I were a motto
have no regrets! Everything happens for a reason.
If I were a landscape
a beach on the Basque Coast (on the French or Spanish side, it doesn’t matter). Beauty comes from many elements: the sometimes raging ocean, the comforting fine sand, the rocky cliffs…
If I were a season
I’m torn between spring and fall… nature waking up or bidding farewell. If only we’d take a cue from it more often!
If I were a time of day
the morning: such a sacred time!
If I were a quality
optimism: for me, the glass is always half full.
If I were one of the five senses
this one’s tough… I’ll say sight. It would be hard for me to live without landscapes and colors, or without people’s faces.
If I were a bad habit
procrastination! How many times have I gotten swept up in a TV show for hours on end…
If I were a dish
Neapolitan pizza — or any vegan dish.
If I were a drink
too hard to choose, it’s a tie: lemonade with a hint of mint, to quench my thirst during a heat wave… and a good Languedoc red wine!
If I were a scent
the ocean, which I can smell as soon as I open my windows… (the smell of coffee in the morning isn’t far behind!)
If I were a celebration
birthdays: I love celebrating mine and being, just for one day, the center of attention while getting to enjoy time with all the people who matter most to me — surrounded by a good meal, of course!
If I were a photo
my grandparents’ wedding photos. They hold a whole chapter of my — and our — history… (they all lived through World War II).
If I were a superpower
the power of healing; healing both the body and the mind…
If I were a book
just one book? That’s mission impossible… I’ll keep it simple and choose the last book I read: Sous les vents de Neptune by Fred Vargas. A mystery novel unlike any other!
If I were a fictional character
Edna Pontellier, a feminist heroine ahead of her time (The Awakening, by Kate Chopin). Page after page, following a woman’s awakening to her own longings and desires simply moved me deeply… and contributed to my own awakening.
If I were a word
le dépaysement — or a change of scenery, as this word doesn’t have an exact translation in English… — as an homage to my globetrotting days 🙂