Hi friends,
If you’ve ever wondered what I sound like, here’s your chance to find out!
I’m thrilled to be featured in the fourth episode of The France Project, a podcast “exploring the je ne sais quoi about life in France.”
For six years, Katia Grimmer-Laversanne co-hosted a humorous Internet radio show about expat life. When her co-host moved onto other adventures, Katia took a brief hiatus – then realized she missed talking to people and that there was much more she wanted to explore.
And so, The France Project was born. Each episode tackles a different aspect of life in France. This episode’s theme? Inspiration!
Katia is absolutely delightful and we instantly clicked when we met over coffee. (The fact that we both have full-bodied laughs – which people often comment on – was certainly a bonus.)
When she then invited me to her home studio for an interview, I was honored – if a little nervous. It sometimes surprises people to learn I suffered from an almost debilitating shyness when I was younger. So much so that I would even have to write a “script” before making a phone call!
Well, I’ve come a long way, baby. But now I worry I ramble to keep from clamming up. Interesting to see what comes out when a microphone is placed before you. Eep!
My interview starts at minute 47, but feel free to listen to the whole episode. The biweekly show is great when you need a France fix!
P.S. I was on the tail-end of a cold when we recorded, but that’s basically my voice. Does anyone else shudder when they hear their own voice? That’s what I sound like? : )
Thanks to Katia and her adorable Burmese cat Symphony who sat on my lap during the entire interview. Recording the podcast was a lovely experience all-around!
Listen and enjoy here!
paris (im)perfect 
HI Sion,
I really enjoyed listening to the recording (I listened to all 3 of you). You were inspiring and sounded very forthright. You make me feel more relaxed about relocating to Paris next Spring (from Los Angeles, via Dallas) because you articulated very well that there while Paris is an amazing place, it also has its challenges and life can be, well, imperfect!
I related to you for several reasons, but primarily: when you explained how much you love New York because I love London as much as you love New York, but am on my way to Paris; you relocated to Paris for love, I am relocating to Paris for love (and to start my own business) and finally I appreciate that you see the imperfections in your experience but you find a way to meet them head on and turn them into an art form, which is what I would like to be able to do in the future.
Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
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Hi Katherine,
Thank you so much for this lovely message! I’m glad you found the interview inspiring and that it makes you feel more relaxed about your upcoming relocation. That’s exciting news!
Paris is a wonderful place – it’s just helpful to know there will be bumps in the road and to to take it all as part of the adventure. Good for you for taking the plunge. Love and starting a business are pretty good reasons to move somewhere!
I wish you much success. Feel free to drop a line again and let us know how it’s going!
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Haha I love your full-bodied laugh — I still remember that time you had an uncontrollable laughing fit during Jenny’s birthday party!
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Haha. Yeah, I do get those sometimes. I’m laughing right now just thinking about that incident. Could. Not. Stop. Laughing. Good times 🙂
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Laugh attacks don’t happen often enough, in my opinion.
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I completely agree!
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Nice laugh! Thanx for be that sincere! Sexy voice! (your new nickname!!!)
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Hey thanks. Not a bad nickname at all. And yes, the laugh. It’s much commented upon. Glad y’all finally got to hear it!
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I like the way you slow down in the last part of your phrases. It is like a hook to catch attention of the audience. Even if you do not need to.
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That’s a very generous interpretation. I don’t slow down consciously – it’s because I’m not a fast thinker! Glad it sounds like I’m hooking listeners rather than simply a pause where you can hear the gears in my mind working 😉
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Oh my gosh – it’s not how I expected you to sound, but now I can’t imagine you sounding any other way! (And I’m a big laugher, too…next time I’m in Paris, let’s get together and laugh loudly and make some Parisians uncomfortable, ok?)
I really related to what you said about going from a high-level communicator to really struggling with the basics of being understood and understanding. I wonder that’s why, when I was in Paris, I wrote a big piece of music rather than poetry or essays, like I would have expected myself to.
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Hey Amy. Yeah, I imagined some people might be surprised by my voice. Heck, I’m still surprised every time I hear it, too. It’s not what *I* expect myself to sound like 🙂
Though I’m always curious *what* people think I’m going to sound like.
Laugh date confirmed. That would be fun. It was pretty awesome when Katia and I met for coffee and were laughing so loudly; aw, so comforting.
That’s fascinating about writing the big piece of music. Wow. Really makes sense to me. Might also be why dance became so vital to me again here – a form of expression that doesn’t rely on words.
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Thank YOU so much for being part of the show, my dear! Your perspective was just what I needed. And I love hanging out with fellow big-laughers 😉 xo
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Yay! You’re so wonderful. So happy to have been part of the show and I LOVE laughing with you!
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I wanted to wait to comment until I had a chance to listen! I finally did this past weekend, and I loved hearing you on The France Project.
I was already a huge fan of the K&K Podcast for the past couple of years (or more…) and so when Katia started The France Project I was THRILLED. And then to have you featured in a segment of hers was amazing: two of my favorite Paris Peeps talking to one another On Air!! It was actually kind of surreal. Terrific, but a little weird (in a good way, lol).
And just so you know: your voice sounded slightly different to me recorded, too. It was still your voice, but it is true that recording somehow changes the quality of a person’s voice, and so the answer to this question, “That’s what I sound like?” is “yes and no.” LOL. In broad strokes it is definitely your voice and laugh, but the pitch or tone or something acoustic that I don’t have the vocab to describe was different. I think your voice is a little lower in real life/non-recorded. Just FYI — and I thought I would let you know as I always hate hearing the sound of my voice recorded and think the same thing, ” THAT’s what it is like?! Ugh.” You sounded completely fine. But it was not 100% “you”, entirely. It was “recorded you.” 😉
Also, I am so grateful for the things you talked about, and so grateful to Katia, too. I’d have to go back to quote exactly, but there were several points that helped me so much. Her podcast in general and your interview in particular really are terrific. Listening is helping me *so much* right now in my weird and difficult re-adjustment to a city I would rather not be in, and a place and circumstances I do not particularly like. Listening is helping me bridge my worlds and find some acceptance in being in a place and circumstances that I would rather not be in. It’s huge for me. So I wanted to let you know, just so that you never underestimate the power that you have in sharing your authentic self and interests with others. It may be making an impact and having an effect that you can’t imagine, unless someone takes the time to mention it. 😀
So consider it “mentioned.” I need to do the same over at Katia’s site, but I was here first because of Glen Hansard. 🙂
I’m so glad that I got to know you, Sion, and so glad that there are all these wonderful technological ways to keep up/keep in touch. It’s pretty cool. Thanks to you and to Katia for a great show.
xoxo
Karin
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Thanks on many fronts for the comment, Karin.
Yay! I *knew* there was something a little strange-sounding about my voice. I mean, yes, it’s my voice, but not completely. Thanks for confirming that for me 🙂
Also, I am so glad you’re finding some measure of comfort and acceptance through these channels. It’s humbling to hear that anything I said is helping in that. Thank you so much. I know you’re in hard circumstances but you are journeying through it with grace.
Thank you for articulating so many important things. I appreciate your friendship and support.
Sion
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