Fabrice Plançon Bringing French Culture to Tianjin China

Originally a primary school teacher in his native France, Fabrice Plançon travelled to India and Sri Lanka as a French teacher for Alliance Française. Lured by his passion for Indian cuisine and film, he sought to learn more about this historically significant country. Rich in culture and full of color, he found India to be a sensational – and highly sensual – country to visit. This was not to endure, however, as the difficulties wrought by dense population – and other commonly experienced issues – began to rust his tolerance, leaving him to paradoxically wonder if he could find an even more difficult place to live. His next departure as a foreign teacher was to emerge a surprising and welcomed contrast from India, however, and not as difficult as he had expected.

There could not have been a better place to begin his relationship with China. Situated on the coast of beautiful geography, quaint Qingdao offers a delicate mixture of international familiarity and exposure to emerging China. Due to a lack of knowledge on the country, Fabrice was initially afraid of coming to the Middle Kingdom, but soon found it to be surprisingly modern. Contrary to his interest in India as a motivating factor for visiting the subcontinent, he did not feel any particular passion towards the People’s Republic but came, like many, for work and opportunity to favorably save financially.

He soon however came, like many, to endear the country. He discovered the Chinese to be quite interested in French culture and language, and he identifies three primary, generic reasons why Chinese wish to study the French language: some wish to study abroad in France; others desire to immigrate to Canada; and some need French as they travel to Africa for work. Great at rote learning and memorization, they are remarkable at expounding on grammar and at reading texts, but when it comes to having an actual conversation, the real difficulties become apparent. They fail to connect language with the real world in a functional way, to relating to the given situation as opposed to translating what they may like to say in Chinese.

Alliance Française operates much like the Confucius Institute does for Chinese or the British Council for English. Working in partnership with and within Tianjin Normal University, the university provides the facilities while all salaries (except the director’s), course fees, and events are paid by student tuition. Alliance Française is not-for-profit, so the entire budget must be financed by scholastic and activity incomes as well as by sponsors in either France or Tianjin.


What do you do for Alliance Française?
I’ve been the Director of Alliance Française Tianjin since 2013. I’m French (of course), and 37 years-old. Before that, I was a teacher of French as a foreign language for 10 years in a university in France, as well as in several other countries for Alliance Française: Sri Lanka, India, and now China. I used to be a French teacher in Alliance Française Qingdao and Alliance Française Beijing. In total, I’ve spent 4 years in China (2 of those in Tianjin). Out of France, I’ve never spent so much time in the same country!

You’re going to spend a lot of time here. I discovered China for the first time as a French teacher in Alliance Française Qingdao in 2008. Many people in China want to learn French. I was very surprise about that. Many want to study in France, or to immigrate to Canada, or just learn French for work, pleasure, or travel – or just because French is so ‘romantic’! It’s so interesting that Chinese people have such a positive image about French language and culture. The school brings French language and culture to every kind of person in China: Chinese people but also foreigners, students, adults, and children.


About the language – let’s talk about that, first.
As a language center, we have an efficient pedagogy oriented to communication and action, because learning a language is not just learning words and grammar, it’s to learn how to act in the real world, in interacting with others. Writing or talking is an action with a goal. The goal is not how to say in French, “I want a ticket for tomorrow to Paris.” The goal is to buy a ticket. Learning is not translating some words or sentences from your mother tongue to another language. Learning is to find new ways of communicating to act or to resolve problems in a new language within cultural and social contexts.


That’s certainly true – and what about culture?
As a cultural center, Alliance Française Tianjin organizes about 50 events every year: concerts of any kind of music, conferences, movies, exhibitions, and so on. Our purpose is to bring to Tianjin authentic French artists and conferences, authentic French culture: not only romantic songs or romantic love movies – the clichés – because French culture is not only Sophie Marceau singing “La vie en Rose” on CCTV for Chinese New Year.


Has China been what you had expected?
When I arrived in China, I was very impressed by the modernity of the country and the comfortable standard of living I can have here. I was also interested in the language. In 2008, I didn’t know a word of Mandarin. Since then, I’ve never had time to learn a lot because of my work, but I’m happy to be able now to deal with simple daily conversation and to learn the stories and meaning of some words or characters. For example, it’s really funny to think about the character for safety, calm, or satisfaction: a woman under a roof; a woman at home. What does this means? “If your wife is not at home, you are in trouble” or “to have a woman waiting for you at home is the best way to feel happy, peaceful, and secure.”


That’s certainly an interesting way to learn characters.
More seriously, I’m very happy with my life in Tianjin and it’s really fantastic to participate with Alliance Française in some great moments of cultural and linguistic exchange. China and France have a lot to learn from each other. Tianjin has some great historical architecture from France, and the ex-director of Alliance Française in Tianjin wrote a book about that: a guide book about the French concession is available for free in three languages (Chinese, English, and French) at the Alliance Française office.


What’s next for the center?
In 2015 and 2016, our main goals regarding classes are to continue to make successful those who want to go abroad, open new courses for children, and be more accessible for everyone (Chinese and foreign, both). We’ll open evening, weekend and holiday classes, and also develop a special offer for professionals and companies. About cultural events, finding new partners and sponsors in Tianjin, we want to bring to Tianjin people as many big and amazing events as Alliance Française in Beijing.


What’s next for you?
At the end of my contract in 2017, I hope Alliance Française will be 4 times bigger than I found it in 2013 (it was already twice as big by the end of 2014 compared to 2013). Then, I’d like to be director of another, bigger Alliance Française in another country. (As a director, I cannot have two contracts in the same country.) I think about South-East Asia or Sri Lanka, that country I really loved before where I had my first experience as a teacher almost 15 years ago. Or maybe Istanbul, Turkey, because I think Istanbul is such an interesting city: so western yet so eastern, so dynamic in economy and society, and only a two-hour flight from my hometown. When I am 40 years-old and my father, the most important person for me in this world, will become old, I would like to live in a place culturally far away from my family place in France, but close in space and travel time...