I could reinvent myself in France. As I mentioned a blog or so ago, it would be impossible to make a living in France as a career counselor since the French are not particularly accustomed to changing jobs, let alone career paths.
But, since they do enjoy food, its preparation and presentation, there's a related job change just waiting for this bi-lingual American. While I don't plan to put my limited culinary talents to the test in the land of great chefs, I could imagine touring the country's vast array of restaurants on the lookout for menus in need of accurate English translations.
Here are a few examples of well intentioned, yet off the mark translations I noticed on French menus this year during my vacation and annual women's retreat in Provence to the south of France:
| Menu listing | Their English version | Correct translation |
| Crottins | Warm goat droppings | Toasted baguette topped with warm goat's cheese |
| Pave de thon | Paving stones of the tuna | Slices of fresh tuna |
| Poulet roti aux | Chicken and local grasses | Chicken grilled with herbes de Provence |
| Salade du terroir: | Salad from the ground | Farm salad with oeufs farcis, lardons egg stuffing, little lards stuffed eggs & bacon |
| Sorbet au gout de chevrefeuille | Sorbet with a taste of goat leaf | Sherbert with a hint of honeysuckle |
As I consider this idea for a total career makeover, I realize two essential elements for a successful career change are missing:
1. Is there a marketplace gap or identified need for this service?
Sadly, I think not. From what I've seen, the French are not at all concerned about whether or not they correctly translate their menus. I can imagine being met with a typical shrug of the shoulders if I even pointed out the errors. The idea of trying to sell a menu translation correction service is beyond my wildest imagination.
2. Do I know enough about what I'd be getting into in such an endeavor? After hearing about the entanglement of red tape involved in establishing a business in France, I imagine that it would be difficult to accurately create a business plan.
In any case, it was fun to ponder the idea. Sometimes, all you need to do is take an idea seriously enough to believe you could actually do it and then see what happens. In my case, I felt relieved to be returning to my current profession and not trying to invent a new one even if it did combine food and a land I so love.
_ _ _ _ _
Heart At Work Career Workshops
offered by Amy Jaffe, MA:
Effective Resumes
Job Search Strategy
Advanced Interviewing
Informational Interviewing
Weeknights and Saturday mornings-$30 each
Falmouth Library
Call Amy for details: 207-846-0644
or email: amy@heartatwork.biz
Barb,
But oh what fun it would be to taste test all the menus along the French countryside!
Personally, I'm glad you are back in the U.S. and doing what you are so called to do...helping others find meaningful work.
Dory
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