Name: Feriel
Lives in: I live in Sceaux, an adorable little town 4 kilometers from Paris, France
From: I always have to think about this one before I answer. I was born in Algiers, Algeria and grew up in several different countries on the European, African and North American continents. These include France, the United Kingdom, Algerie, Benin, the United States and Canada.
Job: I have a job which coincides with my passion: I’m a certified Neurolanguage coach® and soon-to-be accredited coach. I have a passion for languages and learning. I use brain-based coaching as my method, so I use neuroscience to make language learning easier, more effective, and more enjoyable for your brain. This helps people learn faster and more effectively because they learn in a way that suits their brain and learning preferences. They also learn in a way that boosts their confidence and reduces stress. If any of you are curious about brain-based coaching and how it can help you learn languages, you should contact me and I’ll be happy to answer your questions and share more with you. 🙂
Tell us your first three jobs (ever!): My very first job was babysitting, and I babysat a lot! In fact, I babysat enough to earn the cost of a ticket to travel from the US to Spain and spend a month there learning Spanish. I also worked as a salesperson at Benetton in NYC when Benetton was the coolest store ever (I got to wear anything I wanted in the store, I was living the dream!). And finally, I taught French and Math, a lot less glamourous but I had a knack for teaching so …
Zodiac sign?: Scorpio
Enneagram type (if you know it)?: Type 7, the Enthusiast
What do you love about Greece? The question should be “what do I not love about Greece?” The first time I went was in 2020, the first Covid summer – everything was quiet, there were very few people on the islands and even fewer in Athens. It was incredible! It was also my first time going to one of Lynn’s retreat – and real life yoga in fact! I’ve been back every year for the retreat and also visiting different parts of the country and enjoying time in Athens. I love my friends in Athens, I love Greek coffee, I love the food, I love hearing Greek spoken around me, the atmosphere, the messiness, and the beauty, did I mention the food?
Tell us something most people don’t know about you: Fun fact: I have a metal rod or two in my back as well as some sort of hook(s) because of a scoliosis problem I had diagnosed as a teenager. It makes for a very straight posture and some frustrating yoga moments. It also makes for living proof of how resilient I am when I need to be.
Where we are most likely to find you in Lynn’s Kundalini Yoga? In Paros mostly…or the rooftop if I’m lucky enough to be in Athens when there’s a class. Both are magical.
The first time you tried Kundalini Yoga: The first time I tried Kundalini Yoga was in front of my computer screen during the Pandemic Lockdown, March 2020. I found a 6-day Kundalini Yoga challenge, and I loved it. And from there, I hardly have had a day without some Kundalini Yoga in it. I’m hooked.
Tell us your top tip to combat climate change: I sold my car. I didn’t use it that much, but now I am free from it. I no longer buy plastic bottles (unless I don’t have a choice). I don’t buy disposable masks (unless I must). I buy all organic and as local as possible and make most of my cosmetics and cleaning detergents. I try to do more as time goes by, but will it ever be enough?
Anything else you’d like us to know?: Are you trying to learn a foreign language but you keep getting stuck? As a language coach, I’m the GPS to help you navigating the language learning waters.
If you want to connect with positive emotions and motivation when learning a language, if you want to feel at home in your new language, and most importantly, if you want to start actually SPEAKING a language, feel free to contact me at ftemmar@englishwithferiel.com or visit my website www.englishwithferiel.com. As you see the process unfold and you see yourself progressing, falling in love with the language, believing in yourself, feeling more confident, and more motivated, you will be so happy you made this decision. 🙂