PORTE OUVERTE #18
22.08.2016 Christian Cuellar
Parcours Académique :
MASTER 1 – NUTRITION & SCIENCES DES ALIMENTS (MEXIQUE)
SPRING SEMESTER IN NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES (FRANCE)
MASTER 2 – INGÉNIEUR ALIMENTATION ET SANTÉ (FRANCE)
MASTER 2 – LANGUES ETRANGÈRES APPLIQUÉES AU COMMERCE INTERNATIONAL (FRANCE)
STAGE DE FIN D’ETUDES – CHARGÉ D’AFFAIRES RÉGLEMENTAIRES (ALLEMAGNE)
FORMATION AFFAIRES RÉGLEMENTAIRES (ITALIE)
Road Trip Mexico
With a firm belief that our diet has a strong relationship with our body, lifestyle and culture, and with an enormous passion for food, I decided to begin my studies in the field of food science.
We are surrounded by food, and our body needs it as fuel for our day-to-day activities; however, this is not the only reason why I was interested in it. Have you ever asked yourself why big decisions are made sitting around a table or at a business dinner? Or, why your best memories are the smell of that tasty cake that your mother or grandmother cooked when you were a child? Just think about a pleasant moment and I am sure that food will be involved (Christmas, Birthday parties, etc…). These are just a few examples of how food is linked to our life and has become part of our culture.
What about history, and language?
Did you know that the French word “Copain” meaning “friend” in English, comes from the alteration of the old French word “compain” meaning “the one who shares the same bread”. (The French translation for Bread is: “Pain”). So, that means your friends are the ones you share your food with!
To better understand this word, it’s important to know that back in the medieval times; a big piece of bread was served for the whole table, and was shared. Therefore, for the huge family dinners the bread was shared with your family and friends! Interesting isn’t it!
Pourquoi as-tu choisi de venir en France?
That is a common question that many people ask if you are a foreigner living in France. In my case, I have a very simple answer: Because they have GREAT food. Ok no, for sure it was one of the reasons, but to be honest I wanted to discover their culture and learn the language of love.
Institut Polytechnique La Salle (France)
Did you know that the UNESCO experts have estimated that the gourmet French meal, with its rites and presentation, fulfilled the conditions to join the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity? This is the first time that the gastronomy of a country has reached this status.
Université de Rouen – Faculté des Lettres et Sciences Humaines
Pourquoi des études dans les langues étrangères et le commerce international ?
Another one of my passions are the languages, the culture and history of other countries. And at some point I have decided I wanted to dedicate my life to my passion, so this is the reason why I have decided to study a Masters degree in International Business & Languages. There is a quote I really like “Working hard for something you don’t care about is called stress – Working hard for something you love is called passion”.
Quelles ont été tes premières impressions lors de ton arrivée ?
It’s quite hard to arrive in a country where you don’t really know the culture and you don’t speak the language, but getting out of your comfort zone always helps you to grow as a person. Personally, I was amazed the first time I arrived in France (so many dishes and desserts to taste!), and even after 4 years I am still amazed at the amount of history that is behind every street.
My new hobby is the History of Paris and I am on a new adventure trying to discover the most that I can out of the city.
Quelles sont selon toi les plus grandes différences entre la France et le pays d’où tu viens?
There are differences with bureaucracy, culture, weather and the food. However, these differences are what make the wealth of a country. So go outside, and embrace those differences! Personally I can say that living abroad is one of the best experiences of my life, and it is the best way to grow as a person.
Wine Road Trip Burgundy
One of the things that surprised me the most was that people in France were less open than in Latin America, this meant it is quite a bit harder to make new friends (but once you get to know the people, you can be sure that you will be friends for life). And the second one is the amount of time they spend at the table for a family dinner… literally you can spend half of the day sitting and eating! So if you are invited to a family dinner, be prepared!
Qu’est-ce qui te manque le plus de ton pays?
The things that I miss the most are my family, my friends, the food, the smiles and happiness of the people, the colours everywhere and of course the sun!!
Quels conseils donnerais-tu à ceux qui veulent venir en France ?
The first piece of advice I can give you is, don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone! Be ambitious, motivate yourself and learn French (it is not as hard as it seems). Go out and find some French friends, talk to the lady in the bakery, talk to everyone in French – this is the best way to practice, and to get to know the culture better. Try new dishes, go to different places, discover, make mistakes, learn from them and move on.
Munich Germany
Un dernier mot pour la fin/la route ?
A nice quote to end: “Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact, It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration, It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
― Muhammad Ali
AFLA 