My name is Anja-Hélène and I am bilingual French-Dutch. I was born in France and studied French literature and drama at the University of Amsterdam. As a literature teacher, I lead reading groups every year and discuss the “rentrée littéraire” and current topics in French literature. I also organize , in collaboration with various partners, all kinds of literary activities ranging from readings to interviews with writers, including recently published books and French cinema. I am a board member of the Marcel Proust Association and for the Alliance Français Utrecht I passionately lead the Cercle Littéraire.
Hello all, my name is Jean-David and I am a French teacher with the Alliances Françaises. After ten years of teaching at an elementary school near Paris, I took a course in French as a foreign language at the Alliance Française de Paris. Since then, I have moved to the Netherlands where I enjoy sharing my expertise with adult learners. My approach to teaching is also influenced by my own experience learning Dutch, which helps me understand my students' challenges. I strive to create a stimulating learning environment where everyone can progress at their own pace. I look forward to working with you on your French language journey!
I come from the southeast of France, from a small village in the Alps, not far from Nice and Cannes. I have always been interested in language, French literature and foreign cultures. I have a degree in modern literature and a postgraduate diploma in book trade. I was a librarian for a long time and traveled extensively in England, Italy and the West Indies, where I was able to teach French and contribute to the spread of French culture. Today, I begin a new adventure in the Netherlands where I devote myself entirely to teaching French. My passions? Reading of course, discovering new languages and cultures, but I also love making candles! Before I moved to Utrecht, I had a candle workshop near Grasse where I made and sold my creations.
I was born in Toulouse, where I grew up and studied. I love traveling and discovering new cultures and languages. I am fluent in French, English, Italian and Spanish. I go back regularly to visit my family and friends in the southwest of France. I am interested in current affairs, politics, women's and children's issues, tennis, alternative medicine and much more! My favorite hobbies are yoga, nature walks and cooking (duck confit!).
I am Dutch, married to a Frenchman. We have three children, so they have the opportunity to enjoy both cultures and speak both languages. I studied French and Spanish in the Netherlands, at the University of Utrecht. Then I lived and worked in Paris for four years before moving back to the Netherlands. I have been teaching at the Alliance Française since 2003. I also teach French at the Christelijk Lyceum Zeist. So I have the pleasure of working with both young people and adults, which I find very enriching.
My name is Britta Maria and I am a singer. I studied jazz music in Amsterdam. And I have family in France, so I grew up with the French chanson! I have had the opportunity to perform in a number of productions and write my own songs in French and Dutch, especially in collaboration with pianist and composer Maurits Fondse, which are often broadcast on the radio. For many years I have taught singing lessons, workshops and French singing choirs. I am conductor of the choir “Les Moulins de mon Cœur” at the Alliance Française Utrecht: come and sing with us!
My name is Mostafa and my roots are in Morocco. My student days were spent between Morocco and the Netherlands, where I have lived for 40 years now. I am married and we have 2 children and a grandchild. With chalk on my fingers, I worked as a teacher and held management positions before becoming head of the Diversity and Inclusion Education Department at the municipality of Utrecht for 25 years. After that I worked in different sectors of education. As a person I am an experienced connector, passionate about education, with whom people enjoy working together and are willing to go the extra mile to improve their French. With great pleasure I have been teaching French at the Alliance Française Utrecht since 2022 to groups of very friendly, interested and motivated adults.
My name is Mohamed, I have Moroccan and Dutch nationality and am a cosmopolitan at heart. I had a bilingual education in Arabic and French before studying English language and literature at university, which gave me access to both Eastern and Western sources of knowledge. I have lived in the Netherlands for many years now, where I have taken full advantage of my skills in teaching and learning modern languages (Arabic, French, English and Dutch) as a teacher, translator, city council member for education and, above all, as a humanities enthusiast. Now that I am “retired,” I am still as busy with cultural, artistic and sports activities, as I am with teaching my granddaughter! So I am happy to have another opportunity to share my experiences and pass on my knowledge, both at home and at the Alliance Française.
I am a Frenchwoman of Breton descent with a master's degree in child and adolescent developmental psychology. I have always wanted to work with young people. I have a passion for travel, discovery and languages, and I have been able to develop intercultural and linguistic skills by living and working abroad. I have worked with a wide range of audiences in different settings, and especially with students with disabilities or educational difficulties. As a result, I try to adapt my teaching style to each individual while listening and showing kindness. My teaching vision is based on an active approach, with an emphasis on creative, fun activities and peer learning, where everyone enjoys learning, gains confidence and progresses at their own pace. I look forward to helping you practice and understand the French language!
Originally from the Paris region, I studied sociology and linguistics before teaching French in several countries, including Thailand, Mexico and Argentina. But for several years, I have been working mainly as a translator and content writer for all kinds of companies. Through my many travels, I have gotten to know many foreign languages and cultures. And the adventure continues in the Netherlands! But I am still French at heart: I love long meals, cheese, bread and good wine combined with lively political debates. It couldn't be more! I am also a fiction writer, with two collections of short stories under my belt and a first novel in the pipeline.
My name is Maryse, and I graduated from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce before working for eight years at the Ministry of the Interior in Paris. I have now been living in the Netherlands for about thirty years and left my position as Head of Human Resources at an international bank to dedicate myself to teaching business French and raising my children. My dual vocation as a trainer and representative of French people abroad was born when I came into contact with staff from the Dutch Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I subsequently pursued training in Personality and Human Relations as well as in creativity. For the Alliance Française Utrecht, I enthusiastically and passionately teach conversation classes, private lessons, and in-company training sessions.
Hello ! Originaire de New York et du Belize, j'ai grandi en France (la région parisienne !) et je vis et travaille aux Pays-Bas depuis de nombreuses années. Je fais beaucoup de formation méthodologique pour les travailleurs sociaux et, dans un passé récent, j'ai travaillé avec des sans-abri et des toxicomanes. J'ai quatre enfants et (presque !) cinq petits-enfants. L'année dernière, j'ai décidé de me consacrer à ma passion pour la langue française. Je donne des cours de conversation hebdomadaires sur et je suis convaincue que l'apprentissage va de pair avec la passion et le plaisir ! Dans les cours de conversation, nous utilisons des chansons françaises, nous jouons régulièrement à des jeux et mes étudiants présentent à tour de rôle un sujet dont nous discutons ensemble. Tout est permis... à condition que ce soit en français !
I was born in Alsace and have lived in Amsterdam since 2007. Before that, I studied and worked in Copenhagen and Paris. My background is in linguistics and literature: my qualifications include a Maîtrise de Lettres Modernes and a Master 2 in didactics of languages. Since 2007, I have enjoyed teaching French to diverse groups: from students and professionals to trainee teachers. I have taught in vocational education, at (technical) universities and at companies, government agencies and language schools. Languages have long been a passion, and since 2016 I have additionally worked as a translator from English and Dutch into French - mainly on articles about health, psychology and personal development, and scientific children's books.
Hello ! I hold a bachelor's degree in musicology from Paris Sorbonne, a master's degree in philosophy from the Institut Catholique de Paris and a master's degree in musicology and social sciences from EHESS Paris. I began my career studying cello. In 2016, I began singing lyrically, then obtained my DEM in 2022. I then moved to Utrecht in the Netherlands to take a Master's degree in opera singing at the Conservatoire Supérieur in Selma Harkink's class. I work as an academician with the Groot Omroepkoor, but I'm also a soloist! In 2024 I performed at the Oude Muziek Festival Fringe in Utrecht as a baroque cellist. I'd be delighted to meet you for a singing lesson!
My name is Elwira Skapska and I have been teaching French, literature and philosophy for 30 years. I did my university studies in Paris and defended my dissertation in modern literature in Amsterdam. My professional experience is very broad. I have worked in different countries, systems, universities, schools and language institutes. My passion lies in cultures, languages, anthropology, psychology and literature. Since 16 years I have been living in the Netherlands and I look forward to seeing you in French class at the Alliance.