Profile of the month : Debbie Walker

How I landed in ACP

I really don’t remember, it was a few years ago, could have been word of mouth.

What I do for a living

I am retired in Paris to learn French after living my youth, working and family life in Canada

My favourite place in France or Canada

In Canada I preferred living in Alberta, close to the mountains for skiing and camping.

In France I love Paris for the public transportation system. I no longer need to drive; I take the train everywhere!

My passions and / or my hidden talent ?

I have become passionate about learning to dance ballroom. I am in fact terrible in my second season, but alas I can laugh at myself when I make a mistake because I do not know the word in French when the teacher speaks. (ie. Écarter = spread or open your legs!!!) I first did a few years of Salsa and 6-step rock and roll. It was a way to avoid doing French homework. I then discovered I could learn French a little at the same time as moving, listening to great music and laughing at myself. Others: I enjoy sewing and bricolage. I am a quilter and also recently learned to play with tapestry and refinishing old or damaged wood. Once took 20 weeks of woodworking to learn all the woodworking shop tools. Does anyone here quilt? I need to find a long-arm atelier.

What I learned in life

Be myself not who people want you to be. At first, I tried to blend in here, definitely not successful as I always hear “Vous-venez du?, J’adore votre petite accent.” I cannot hide that my French is somewhere in the middle of amusing and intermediate or deny also that I am in-fact a proud anglophone Canadian!

My favourite bar-restaurant in France and Canada ?

Can’t say I have any favourites here in France as I am always trying something new.  I do like oysters and white wine when I find a stall crammed into an open-air market.  In Canada, I spent a lot of years looking for healthy instead of junk food chains and am excited about this new trend to locally sourced ingredients.

My favourite ACP activity?

I enjoyed the one-day trip outside of Paris to Angers: it was educational and very social as I met many new members and their families. I also really enjoy a good hike and picnic.