MEET OUR NEW ASSISTANT !
Alexander Semenov, our assistant was recently interviewed
by the students from the 2nde Euro group.
Here is his portrait…
HOBBIES, LIKES and DISLIKES (by Floriane Martin, Alix Botella, Ugo Guilmet and Enrique Galvez)
Do you like series ? what is your favourite ? Yes, I love series ! I like watching Breaking Bad, Weeds and
Better call Saul
What kind of music do you like ? I’m a music person. I love electronic music.
Do you practise any sport ? Yes, I practise tennis, swimming, soccer and running
Do you like reading ? what is your favourite book ? Yes, I love reading. My favourite book is « 20,000
leagues under the sea » by Jules Verne
Do you like playing video games ? what is your favourite video game ? My favourite game is « Thief »
What is your favourite film ? My favourite film is Apocalypto, directed by Mel Gibson in 2006. It is an
epic adventure film depicting the decline of the Mayan kingdom around the year in the early 16th
century.
Which film do you prefer between Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars ? why ?
I would have to say The Lord of the Rings because, even if the first Star Wars were good, I was
disappoointed by the later episodes. And, as we say in English, Harrrv Potter « is not really my cup of
tea »…
What do you do during your spare time ? I usually like going out with my friends
Who is your superhero ? My favourite superhero is The Green Hulk
Which superpower would you like to have ? If I could have a supepower, I would love to be like Mrs.
Incredible and have the ability to stretch my body as though it were made of rubber.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN (by Sarah Dupont, Luna and Emmeranne)
Where do you come from ? I come from Toronto, Canada, but I am Russian.
What do you like about your country ? I think that Canadian people are friendly and I love the country
because nature is very important there. We have a lot of trees, mountains, rivers and lakes and huge
open spaces that give you a sense of freedom.
Can you tell us about Canadian specialities ? The one dish you absolutely need to try if you ever
come to Canada is called « poutine ». It's a hearty dish of French fries, fresh cheese curds, and brown
gravy that we enjoy eating on a cold winter day… and it has nothing to do with the Russian
president !!
What are the differences between France and Canada ? I find French people more open than
Canadians. They tend to express their true feelings more easily than us. I like that.
What and when is the major national Canadian celebration ? In Canada, we celebrate Christmas
like you but also Halloween and Thanksgiving like American people (although our Thanksgiving takes
place on the 2nd Monday in October) but the major celebration for us is Victoria Day. It is also called
"the twenty-fourth of May,” or “May Two-Four“ , since it is observed on the first Monday before 25
May. Originally, it was a celebration of Queen Victoria's birthday, but today it marks Queen Elizabeth
II's birthday as well.
Victoria Day is marked in most cities with parades, outdoor events and activities like camping and
elaborate firework displays.
Do you know the origins and the meaning of the Canadian flag ? Um… that’s a good question… In
fact, I’m not sure… I guess it’s a mixture of Canadian symbols like the maple leaf, which is our emblem,
(actually the flag is called « The Maple Leaf ») but also the British « Union Jack » flag, with the red
stripes…
I don’t know!
FAMILY and FRIENDS (by Camille Letellier, Naomi Guehassa Poincelet and Mehdi Maly)
What can you tell us about your family ? Part of my family is in Ukraine and Russia and in Canada
there are my parents and my sister. She is a 35-year-old lawyer and she is called Anastasia. I feel very
close to her, she has always been very helpful to me in the past. And I talk to my mum quite often on
the phone. However, I’m not so close to my father.
What’s the name of your best friend ? My best friend is called Alexi, he is 27 years old. We met in
Canada, at school. He lives in London at the moment.
Do you have a girlfriend or a boyfriend ? No, currently I don’t... But I recently met a Russian girl in
Perpignan (she’s an assistant in Lycée Pablo Picasso), she’s very attractive and I will probably ask her
out soon !
Do you have French friends ? Yes, I met quite a few people in Lyon when I studied there. They are
called Clément, Quentin, Camille and Florence and we have kept in touch.
Did you ever go on a trip with your friends ? Yes, I went cannooing and rafting with a group of my
sister’s friends a few years ago. It was awesome !
PAST LIFE and STUDIES (by Juliette Lambertin, Maëva Mercadal and Lucile Raynal)
What was your dream when you were younger ? I have always loved music, so I wanted to work in the
music industry, in particular Techno Surface music, one of my favourite kinds of music, with deep
house…etc
What were your favourite subjects at school ? And the subjects you disliked ? At school, I loved History,
I also liked English, Mathematics and Drama, but I didin’t like French, particularly the grammar that I
found extremely difficult. I Didin’t like Physics and Chemistry either.
Were you a good pupil ? In middle school, between 12 and 16, I was a rather bad pupil, but later, in
high scool, I was much better.
What studies did you do ? I shortly studied as sound engineer (my dream), then I went to university to
study History (my true passion) and Pollitical Science.
Did your parents agree on your choices ? Well, not always… like when I played too much poker on
the net while at university… It was a kind of addiction and got me to lose quite some money ! But
apart from that, my parents agreed on my choices and on my way of life.
What do you want to do now ? I would like to continue my studies in Germany and then find a job in
Canada, maybe with the government…
TRAVELS (by Kleona Di Donato, Céline Schumann, Eva Pannetrat, Solène Gaurier and Manahune Lo
Giaco)
Where in the world have you been ? I have traveled a lot ! I have been to Russia, Ukraine, Italy, France
(I went on an exchange program in Lyon and I loved it), Mexico, Cuba, the USA and China.
What is your favourite country ? I think my favourite country is Italy. It’s really great !
Have you ever been to Amsterdam ? No ? I haven’t but I want to.
Do you find French girls pretty ? Yes, I do ! I think in Europe, girls are very pretty and in France in
particular !
Which country would you like to visit in the future ? I would really like to go to Germany now,
particulary for Oktoberfest !