Janice Brooks:
CLASS OF 1979

Ramsay High SchoolClass of 1979
Birmingham, AL
Samford UniversityClass of 1984
Birmingham, AL
Janice's Story
Life
Okay, here goes with a (sort of) condensed version: After Ramsay, I studied music, then business at Samford University, worked for a few years in retail (Rich's, Macy's), then as the Alabama account coordinator for Chanel perfumes and cosmetics; a great environment, very glamorous, but a good bit of travel and hard work- I loved it! I continued to do some theater for a while; in and around all that, I would sometimes spend Friday or Saturday nights singing in various bars, nightclubs, rock halls with musician friends, then get up Sunday morning for my other job as a church pianist....
In 1990 I met a Frenchman named Pascal, we got married and had 2 kids; Celine, who is now 14, and Julien, who is 12. In 1995 we moved to Bordeaux, France, and a few years after that we divorced. Well, I love it here so much I decided to stay - but what kind of job could I get? With two young children I just couldn't see myself getting back into my old business with all the traveling. So what to do? Yes, the logical answer is... teaching English!
So now I find my...Expand for more
self a -gulp- University Professor! I am in two "écoles superieur" teaching 1st and 2nd year students and Master's classes, marketing and negotiations in English. Plus I have my own (small) business doing translations, interpreting, coaching and the occasional seminar in topics such as customer service, etc.
Life is very good in southwest France, Bordeaux is a beautiful city and we are less than an hour from the ocean, 3 hours from the Pyrenees, 2 and a half hours from Spain; we have the Entre-Deux-Mers and the Dordogne at our doorsteps, too. We try to go back to the States every year or two; the kids are perfectly bilingual, although Celine doesn't communicate much (she has Down Syndrome), but she understands both languages just fine.
I live with the kids and my boyfriend in a gorgeous apartment in downtown Bordeaux that was built in 1830. Arnaud is a painter and illustrator, and has his studio there, too.
We occasionally get visits from friends in the States, but not very often - any old friends coming through Bordeaux are welcome to get in touch!
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