Why the boat?

Yes, why the boat?
Not only because I like boats, and that reason alone could have been enough. But there are many others.
First, language learning is often associated with images like this:

I find this to be very simplistic, banal, and above all – very academic. However, language learning should not be academic, even if it often is. You don’t always need books to learn it, you don’t always start with the alphabet, and speaking in every class isn’t mandatory either. Learning a foreign language does not mean going back to school, not even virtually. So above all, I wanted to stand out from this stereotypical « back to school » style image.

Then, learning a foreign language is like going on a trip. To me, that’s the perfect metaphor. Sometimes, this trip is carefully prepared, the luggage is made in advance, the route is traced, and the tickets are reserved with a renowned transport company. Sometimes we leave on the spur of the moment, simply because we want to leave unexpectedly, with a light backpack, and we follow an unknown road, to see where it will lead. This path can be difficult, strewn with obstacles and unforeseen events, or on the contrary – very secure, and almost without pitfalls. You can do it alone, with friends, independently, or under the guidance of an experienced guide. Relations with this guide can be friendly and close, distant and authoritarian, and sometimes even tense. The objectives are also variable: very concrete and precise for some, more vague or « just for the pleasure of traveling » for others. In any case, learning a foreign language leads us to new horizons, and makes us discover unknown countries, new cultures, and people. The boat is for me the symbol of such a journey.

There is another, more personal reason. After having had several professional experiences in large and small companies, public and private, I started on my own. This little boat that goes on a trip, navigates under my responsibility. This is my adventure, and I will be the only captain on board. Of course, I have the support of my family and friends, but all decisions are mine. Successes and failures will therefore be mine as well.

In this sense, the small boat is also a symbol of freedom. Freedom in the choice of methods, techniques, tools, and materials, freedom to organize working time, and freedom from educational paperwork (not fiscal or accounting, it’s true, but that’s another story). Freedom, but also conscience for all these choices and their consequences.

Finally, this freedom is a fundamental value of the two countries that trained me and are dear to me: Ukraine and France.

This is also a core value for me.
So wish me « Good luck! » to this little boat and share its adventure!