Cours de conversation avec Sagar / French Conversation classes with Sagar R G

Find out more about Sagar R

• Tell us more about your subject. How did you develop an interest in this field?

  In 2015, I got an opportunity from my college, St. Joseph's College of Commerce, to spend a semester in France. During the 5 months I spent at ESDES, the B-School of the Catholic University of Lyon, I studied French with other students from all around the world. The immersion helped me grasp the Language way faster and the fact that I was with so many people who spoke so many Languages, kindled this interest for languages in me! Ever since, I've never stopped, I learnt Spanish and German too and began teaching all Foreign Languages.

• 2. What or who is the motivation behind you choosing to teach & why?

  My greatest motivation comes from my teachers, at University, their subject knowledge and expertise would always make me more excited about the subject. Looking at them being such experts made me feel that I could be the same in my field and thus, my willingness to learn from anyone and in any situation. Not to forget, one of my most favourite Bollywood movies in "English Vinglish", it was when I watched this movie that I felt a slight attraction to the world of languages and teaching; what went on to becoming one of my greatest passions in life.

• How does your work help society?

  Like mentioned in the anecdote above, languages are meant to bring people closer to each other. I look at them as ways of reducing differences and increasing understanding among people of the world. Moreover, it is a fact that learning a new language is like gaining a new perspective of the world. It is always great to look at the world with another perspective!

• If you had to think of a role model for your work, who do you think of & why?

  People who have studied a language with me or who have worked with me may vouch for the fact that my teaching methodologies are those that I have been subject to over the last decade, as I have been constantly learning Foreign Languages. My biggest inspiration are these language teachers who worked so well to make sure I as their student learnt the language well, and made the process a whole lot of fun!

• Tell us about your hobbies outside teaching.

  Apart from teaching and learning new foreign & Indian languages, I spend a lot of my time travelling, discovering new dishes and delicious cuisines and taking pictures as an amateur photographer. I truly believe that one can connect best with a culture, firstly through its language and secondly through its food! Pretty glad to be known as a 'foodie'! Whenever I travel to a new city/country, the first thing I do is look for the traditional food and make sure to taste every delicacy, right from snails in France, frog legs in Slovenia, Strukli in Croatia, to Fries in Belgium, Waffles in the Netherlands and Wurst in Germany. The typical "Been there, done that!", for me is rather a "Been there, eaten that!".

• Do you have an anecdote to tell us about your student or professional life?

  I remember an anecdote from February 2017, when I had just started teaching. I was on a trip to Pondicherry with my friends from college and it was our first trip post-graduation. We were on a guided trip at the Matrmandir in Auroville. The Guided Visit was in English but the group had people of various nationalities. At one point, a French lady, whom I had a small chat with earlier during the trip, wanted to ask a question to the guide, but was hesitant since she didn't speak English well. It was at that moment that I looked at her, asked her what she wanted to know and translated her question in English and got her a response from the Guide. Realization struck... I realized that if the languages that I speak can be put to such good use, that's exactly what I want to dedicate my life to. That's where it all started, my tryst with languages!