This week I’m back and speaking to my Friend and Colleague Sylvie. Sylvie was one of the first people I spoke to at The LEGO Group and was actually one of the people that interviewed me for a role. I’m happy to say I’m still working at the company now! Sylvie was kind enough to be interviewed by me just before her latest work anniversary of 17 years and reflect on her time in the UK as well as with the company. The recording is available below if you prefer to listen.
Brittany and France
Tell me about yourself, who are you, where are you from and how do we know each other?
I’m Sylvie Banks I’m 42 and I’m originally from Brest in France! We know each other because I interviewed you four years ago during Covid for a role at The LEGO Group where we still work today! We liked you so we hired you!
We’ve been friends ever since! Could you tell me more about where you are from, where in France that is and what is the area known for?
Brest is in the Northwest of Brittany, we call it the end of the world because beyond that there is nothing, just the Sea, if you keep swimming you’ll reach the United States. If you drove from West to East of Brittany it is around a three-hour drive so it does feel quite big, especially in comparison to England.
There is not a lot to see as such because in the Second World War around 95% of the city was destroyed and rebuilt very quickly so in my opinion it’s not very good looking other than one street that survived, there is no old town but there is a Castle. We don’t get many tourists there, but we do in the surrounding areas.
Would you say the City looks a bit tired then?
It looks very 1970’s, not much charm to it. In the UK you have nice market towns and nice buildings, but you don’t have that in Brest other than the Castle.
What is the area known for?
There is a massive dock yard there as we built boats for the Navy, we also have Subamarines being kept there too!
Were you born there and what was it like living there?
Yes I was born there and lived there until I was 25. When you’re a child you just follow your parents so you don’t recognise what’s good or bad, I was living about 5 miles from Brest in a town called Plouzané where my parents lived, it was near the beach so we visited there a lot.
My parents still live here so I visit the area about two or three times a year.
Do you think you appreciate the area more now or feel the same as you did when you lived there?
I appreciate it because what I miss is the sea, I guess you take it for granted when you live near it especially in the summertime. I do miss it because I don’t have the same thing here but equally, I don’t miss France that much. I miss France when I’m there because when I’m there I realise what I don’t have but then I’m in England I’m happy here and I don’t think about France.
You said it wasn’t very popular for tourists but would you recommend anywhere to visit in the area if I were to visit?
Yes, there is a really nice place called Le Conquet a very nice fishing port, again called the end of the world because there is nothing beyond that but there are so many beautiful villages around the area. Brest was bombarded by the English in the war because the Germans used it for a Submarine base, so it was destroyed but it’s still a functioning city you could visit, it has bars, restaurants and more but not much else outside of that.
I do have to ask and I know you’ll find it funny because we joke about it a lot. how many jokes do people from Brest get about the name in English?
Before I came to England, never! People would not link it because it’s not our language. The first time I heard it was from my husband and then you second!
So you’ve been with your husband a while so he must have said that years ago and then I only said it a few years ago!
Yes, he’d say “Brest is best”. People from Brest are not aware of this joke but my parents do find it funny.
You bought me a Mug from there recently that says ‘I love Brest’ so people must know!
Well I didn’t find a mug with Boobs on unfortunately.
I guess a lot of people in France do speak English, you learn it at school right like we learn French in school from around Year 7.
Yes I started learning English when I was 12 and really loved it. This was a subject I was good at, I wasn’t good at Maths, French I was ok but because I was good at English I felt a passion for it.
A bit of a wide question for you now but what does being French mean to you?
I’m proud but it’s a difficult question. I love the food we have, the beautiful places but food first! I like the fact that in France you can go to any kind of holiday, you can go to the mountains, you can go to the beaches, it’s warm in the south and there is a beautiful countryside, you can even do a Skiing holiday.
When my parents go on holiday they tend to stay in France because they feel they can get most things they want without going abroad.
I do think people underestimate how big France is, I have interviewed French people before who have said similar things. You have the Mediterranean, the alps and all sorts of things, I’ll be going to the South of France for the first time this year actually to Nice!
What are some locations in France that stand out to you, where would you recommend visiting?
I travelled to the North of Brittany last month to an area I didn’t know much about with very pretty villages that had stone houses, flowers all over! I’m going to sound a bit cliché but I think Paris is the most beautiful city I’ve seen so far, however I don’t like the people I find them very rude compared to other locations, the underground there is also awful!
The North generally is good though, Lille, Normandy. I haven’t really been to the South much so can’t give too many recommendations there. Assas is a very nice town if you like flowers and good scenery.
You’ve been to Mont Saint-Michel in the North which I’d really recommend too!
You spoke about recently visiting some villages in the North, do you find them different to the villages you’d find in the UK, such as the thatched roofs and the attitude of people?
Yes, different style of houses for sure but I have to say I prefer the English countryside because I do a lot of walking and wherever you walk you can always find a pub somewhere and you can stop for a cup of tea or something. In France you can walk for a while and not find any signs of life.
I feel like in England you can find a great café in the middle of nowhere, whereas France can feel very empty
I also feel like the UK has a lot of walking routes that are clearly signed and will generally take you through a few locations as you mentioned, does France have the designated walking routes or trails?
Yes and no, some places do but the country is so big that there isn’t necessarily things like a bridal path. What I like in England is that on Sundays life doesn’t stop, in France if I were in the countryside on a Sunday nothing would be open. Sunday life in France because of this is quite boring and this is another reason I like being in England I can do things on a Sunday.
Living in the UK
I’d like to move on to your time in the UK. What originally brought you to the UK and when was that?
The first time I came here was because of an internship in a company then I went back to France to finish my studies. Then I wanted to improve my English so I took a year off as an Au pair with an English family in Ealing from September 2003 until July 2004. In that year I met my husband Dave in the February. I went back to France and completed my Masters, Dave and I lived apart for around 3 years.
I came back after this and found a Job with The LEGO Group.
When was the last time you came to the UK then?
2008 so It’s been around 20 years in the UK on and off, half of my life! I got married to Dave in 2010 as well!
Being in the UK for this amount of time what are some things that stand out to you about the way of life here?
People are chilled here so I feel more relaxed, people don’t really care about what you do or how you look. I feel quite safe here but I also did in France, I also like the fact that things are open or the time, the French have set ways like we have breakfast at 8am and lunch at 12 but I feel like people do whatever they want here.
I love the pub culture here too it’s quite unique!
Are there any locations in England or the wider UK that you love?
Yes, the Peak District and the Lake district but not far from where we are you have the Chilterns and some really nice villages, you’ve got Marlow and Henly-On-Thames as well as all the Thames path. The Lake and Peak districts are nice but can be crowded so it’s great to have some nice areas near here also that rival what you could find elsewhere, which in a way is a shame because I don’t think people appreciate what is around them here.
What is something you disliked about the UK originally but now enjoy?
At first, 20 years ago…. Food wasn’t great but the options have improved. I remember coming here on a school trip and we stayed with a family, the lady for lunch gave me some awful sandwiches and salt and vinegar crisps! I like those crisps now but at the time they were awful!
Was there ever a stereotype you didn’t think was real but is, or one that stands out to you?
I used to be told I’d be eating boiled meats and awful food and actually I disagree with that now, I’m an advocate for British food when I go back home because I hate when people say the English don’t eat or cook properly. I’ve had some great food in pubs for example and at the end of the day I’d eat the same in France that I would eat here. Bangers and mash and fish and chips is nice!
It’s the simplicity that I enjoy about the food, also you have great biscuits and sweets like Quality street! My Dad loves them and you know what you can get a huge box in Tesco for £5 and in France it’s a tiny box for €10. When I visit France I’m tasked with bringing all these kinds of things home!
My parents came for Xmas a few years ago and loved a traditional British Christmas roast!
Is there anything you’ve seen change in the UK over time that you dislike or wish would improve?
Yes, sometimes I feel I may be in a third world country with the way some buildings look. For example, most Post Office’s look very old and dirty, no light and the service is poor. Generally, I find that public services look really run down like the busses. It’s sad to see that sometimes you’ll be in the countryside too and just see litter everywhere. People don’t seem to really care about where they dump litter here which is sad.
Do you feel you’d ever return to France to live and if not why?
Yes, but likely when I retire. I discussed this with my husband recently actually. Most things are cheaper in France, for what I’m paying here I could get a six-bedroom house in France. I think it’ll be easier to live there when I have less needs, like the need to work. I’d certainly return to the Brittany area.
Would you consider yourself British in any way, do you think your identity changed at all after living here?
I am French all the way and will never apply for the British passport as I don’t see a benefit other than voting , the French passport is quite strong anyway. British in the way that I didn’t drink much before I moved here! It’s hard to say really. I read in English most of the time, I watch English speaking TV and I think my food taste has change but this is hard to know about myself really.
Do you feel like you enjoy the pub culture here then?
Yes, but more so in the past because when Covid came you couldn’t go out, I discovered it was cheaper to drink at home on a Friday night. If you were to go to the pub now it’s very expensive, now In the summer I can just chill in my garden and drink with my husband for cheaper.
Last week I went to a beer garden, had one drink and went home, it’s just not the same. Recently we’ve been out and had only a soft drink at a pub/restaurant and when you get the bill you realise how expensive the alcohol actually is when it’s not on the bill itself!
Working at The LEGO Group
What above all has kept you residing in the UK?
My job, I love it I’ve been here 17 years and most of my friends here I met through LEGO® . If I didn’t have my job I don’t think I’d have many friends because that’s where you tend to meet people, these days as an adult. Of course, I also have my husband, and I would honestly miss speaking English if I had to move back. I love the cute houses here, driving on the other side of the road, I love my English family and the English countryside, but I’ve got to say I don’t like the British seaside!
You’ve worked for The LEGO Group for over 17 years now, I find this kind of thing is rare these days. What is it about this company that keeps you going, what makes you enjoy working here and makes you want to stay?
The people, if it wasn’t for the people I would be gone. I love the products, the values and the fact that we are very lucky. I truly believe the company cares about their employees, every year you get a bonus if we perform well, you can get a pay rise, there is a great family feel to the company. I may not always agree with what the company does but I think the care that we receive and the care that I give to my staff I really enjoy.
I would agree for me it’s the people too, I think it’s difficult to make friends as an adult and most people will do that through their work. I’ve made some close friends working here, some that don’t work here anymore, some that I used to manage and so on but I think what also stands out for me is how international we are, we have people working with us from all over the world, great for local tips. So thanks again for hiring me! Speaking of hiring, what made you join this company originally?
I found the job online and when I saw it was in customer service for LEGO® and it wasn’t far from where I lived at the time in Ealing I thought the pay wasn’t bad and I’d go for it! First interview was on the phone and then the second interview was in the office. I was interviewed by two ladies who no longer work here, It went well and then I started September 1st with two weeks of training.
I also found the job online after moving to the area, I think I applied 4 times as an advisor and never got interviewed, which now makes sense as it was rare you were looking for English only speakers. After I got some managerial experience, I applied for the seasonal Team Leader position, and you called me up and interviewed me twice!
In the time you’ve worked at the company you must have gone through a lot of changes professionally, is there something that stands out to you in that time that you learnt?
Be kind to people, the advisor role was difficult, but I liked it. You needed patience really but I loved talking to the same customers again and again because when I first started there were not that many of us, the first high season I did they only hired two French speakers, one being me! We didn’t have any support teams at the time so we’d need to run around to find help, I think it just taught me to be kind and do your best!
Do you have any advice for those moving countries to work and who are considering staying for the longer term?
It’s difficult because for me I moved in with my boyfriend. I struggled at first with missing my family, but it’s not easy and sometimes you need to focus on the now, not what you miss but what you gain by being here.
Is there one thing you wish people knew about you that you want to share.
Yes actually, I think people perceive me as a party animal which I’m not. Maybe in my younger days but I’ve changed a lot after Covid, I now really enjoy a Friday night playing board games with my husband, sitting on the sofa and watching TV or listening to Northern Soul music. I can be sociable, but I like to be on my own too, especially in the office like some lunch breaks I’m happy to spend alone but nothing is wrong.
So you’d say generally people have the wrong perception of you?
I think so yes, people think I’m a joker but I have feelings too, I don’t always want to be the butt of someone’s joke. I don’t really share my private life at work, some people do but it’s not really my thing.
To wrap this up In the 17 years you’ve worked here and the time you’ve been in the country overall what was one of your favourite parts of it all?
When I became a trainer in May 2018 I was an advisor, and I was bored. I was writing an email and thought “God I’ve been doing this 10 years” and felt a bit down. I saw the seasonal induction trainer role and applied. Since being successful in that role, I was much happier and it was a turning point in my career.
That’s interesting because being a trainer was also a turning point in my career although it was a different business, If I wasn’t a trainer I’d probably still be an advisor elsewhere, sometimes it takes a bit of luck but it can be the next step in your career. I love that our company helps our staff in this way by having them work on their individual development plans, I’ve seen a lot of success from people on my teams over the years in this regard.
In the past it was my fault I think more because I wasn’t very good at interviews and I say this to my team now but I didn’t understand until very late in my career that you shouldn’t just give answers to questions but also examples. One day I had enough of being crap at this I said “I don’t want to be good I want to be great!” and I thought critically about my interviews, also my cover letters and now I’m a Team leader!
I wanted to thank Sylvie for her time and for being open to reflecting on her journey both personally and professionally. I’m so happy I could help share the story of someone who was instrumental in my working where I do today! Do keep checking back here for more interviews, as mentioned previously we now have Audio on numerous posts as well as a Youtube channel if that is your preference.
If you’d like to support the running of this blog do feel free to drop a donation, but either way thanks for stopping by!
Interviews With You! By Lewis Jane 
Leave a comment