I first went to the UK when I was 18 where I started working as an au-pair in Greater Manchester.

I fell in love with the country and went back a year later when I decided to apply to a course at the University of Manchester.

I graduated in Russian studies in 2001.

I then moved to Dublin, Paris and Egypt and eventually back to Paris.

I worked in tourism for a while, using my language skills with clients, hotel managers, staff.

A British law firm hired me in 2003 to work in their billing department. Use of English was mandatory on day-to-day basis to communicate with clients, with lawyers and with our London based management.

I did a lot of translation work at the time as I was responsible for training new staff. I therefore had to translate training material, legal work, financial documents and emails from English to French and French to English.

I have worked for different British and American law firms since, always using written and spoken English routinely.

Law firms have taught me to be rigorous and serious about work as the choice of words is very important in legal work.

In the past few months I have also taken a special interest in blockchains and cybersecurity. I have started translating a dissertation about the importance of developping cyber security in businesses from French to English. I am hoping to complete it by the end of summer.