JB Travelwriter
An American Expat in France
WHO AM I
Originally from Colorado, I studied International Relations at Denver University, where I studied as an exchange student in Paris at La Sorbonne. Suddenly, my life was changed forever. I wanted to find a career where I could travel, interact with French people and enjoy the benefits of both the French and American cultures.
However, back in Denver from Paris, I couldn't find a job using my French. Finally, I called 1 of 4 French restaurants in Denver, and ended up not only working there, but meeting the chef, Pierre Jenatton, who I've been with ever since! I decided that I wanted to return to live in France, but I needed a master's degree, since the education systems are very different.
I chose the Monterey Institute of International Studies, now called the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, because it offered a truly international MBA, and attracted students from all over the world. It is also the only partner institution in North and South America chosen by the United Nations, and is viewed as one of the world’s leading trainers of professional trainers and interpreters.
After finishing at the Monterey Institute, I was hired by the Boston Consulting Group, so headed east to Boston. Pierre, meanwhile, decided to create his own personal chef service called Le Chef Mobile, and Boston turned out to be the perfect place for it. I helped Pierre with his startup marketing, helping him get exposure in the Boston Globe, among others.
Meanwhile, I finished at the Boston Consulting Group, choosing instead to help small international companies import to Boston. With the close proximity to Quebec and my French-speaking abilities, I found several clients who wanted to expand to New England, so I helped them expand.
I also managed large-scale translation projects for Polaroid, and several other technology firms. I helped them localize their software, which meant not only translating it, but adapting it for a specific international market.
More recently, I launched my own travel website called BostonCanadaTravel, where I became an expert on Eastern Canada, especially the provinces of Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia.
Last year, Le Chef Mobile was retired permanently in Boston, and we headed to France. Now my new career is one of translation, teaching English and writing about travel to France. I hope you enjoy the site, and please let me know if you see any improvements I can make.