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Lycée Charles-François Lebrun, Coutances, le 11/06/2026.
Meet our fellow assistant
What is it like to leave the United States and start a new life in France ? Danny O’Brien tells us about his journey.
On April 28th, 2026, our LLCER class had the opportunity to meet Danny O'Brien, an American language assistant who has been living in France for more than two years. During this interview, he shared his experience of adapting to life in France, the differences between the French and American lifestyles, and his future projects.
Danny is 35 years old and currently lives near Coutances, in Normandy. He explained that he did not specifically choose this town : when applying to become a language assistant in France, he selected several academies, including Normandy, and was eventually assigned to Coutances, where an English assistant was needed. Before coming to France, he taught French and Spanish in the United States. His goal was to gain professional experience, improve his teaching skills, and discover a new culture. Working with French teachers also allowed him to learn more about English grammar, even as a native speaker.
Since arriving in France, Danny has travelled to many cities such as Paris, Nantes, Rennes, La Rochelle, Biarritz, Montpellier and several places in Normandy. He also enjoys travelling across Europe and dreams of visiting Ireland, Japan and South Korea. Proud of his Irish roots, he explained that travelling helps him find places where he truly feels at home.
When speaking about daily life, Danny said that he prefers the French lifestyle. According to him, life in France feels calmer and less stressful than in the United States. He especially appreciates the importance of taking time for lunch and relaxing, whereas Americans often eat quickly while working or walking. He also mentioned that the cost of living in the United States is generally more expensive. Another difference he noticed concerns school life : French school days are longer, although high schools themselves are quite similar in both countries.
Danny also talked about the political situation in the United States. He said that he feels very worried about the future of his country and thinks that the situation is getting worse and worse. According to him, the extreme right currently has a lot of power in the American government, which makes the situation “very scary”. He also explained that his parents support Donald Trump, while he personally supports the Democratic Party. He voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, Joe Biden in 2020 and Kamala Harris in 2024.
Danny said he does not really feel homesick, even if he sometimes misses Mexican food from the United States. In his free time, he enjoys reading, studying, and preparing his “FLE” certification in order to continue developing his teaching career in France.
Finally, Danny shared his passion for hockey, his favourite sport. He loves attending matches with his friends and enjoys the exciting atmosphere in the arenas, where supporters cheer loudly throughout the games.
This interview gave our class an interesting insight into cultural differences between France and the United States, while showing how travelling and living abroad can change someone’s perspective on life.
- Interviewers : Camille Sidolle, Amrita Tarlochan, Lilou Duchemein, Garance Bois-Micard,Blandine Perier
- Photographer : Maëlle Lecouturier
- Writers : Chloé Rabec, Pauline Beaumont, Elina bosquet, Lana Christy, Lou-Anne Binet, Joséphine Hersperger, Marius Levilly.
- Coordinator : Océane Mancel
Danny is 35 years old and currently lives near Coutances, in Normandy. He explained that he did not specifically choose this town : when applying to become a language assistant in France, he selected several academies, including Normandy, and was eventually assigned to Coutances, where an English assistant was needed. Before coming to France, he taught French and Spanish in the United States. His goal was to gain professional experience, improve his teaching skills, and discover a new culture. Working with French teachers also allowed him to learn more about English grammar, even as a native speaker.
Since arriving in France, Danny has travelled to many cities such as Paris, Nantes, Rennes, La Rochelle, Biarritz, Montpellier and several places in Normandy. He also enjoys travelling across Europe and dreams of visiting Ireland, Japan and South Korea. Proud of his Irish roots, he explained that travelling helps him find places where he truly feels at home.
When speaking about daily life, Danny said that he prefers the French lifestyle. According to him, life in France feels calmer and less stressful than in the United States. He especially appreciates the importance of taking time for lunch and relaxing, whereas Americans often eat quickly while working or walking. He also mentioned that the cost of living in the United States is generally more expensive. Another difference he noticed concerns school life : French school days are longer, although high schools themselves are quite similar in both countries.
Danny also talked about the political situation in the United States. He said that he feels very worried about the future of his country and thinks that the situation is getting worse and worse. According to him, the extreme right currently has a lot of power in the American government, which makes the situation “very scary”. He also explained that his parents support Donald Trump, while he personally supports the Democratic Party. He voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, Joe Biden in 2020 and Kamala Harris in 2024.
Danny said he does not really feel homesick, even if he sometimes misses Mexican food from the United States. In his free time, he enjoys reading, studying, and preparing his “FLE” certification in order to continue developing his teaching career in France.
Finally, Danny shared his passion for hockey, his favourite sport. He loves attending matches with his friends and enjoys the exciting atmosphere in the arenas, where supporters cheer loudly throughout the games.
This interview gave our class an interesting insight into cultural differences between France and the United States, while showing how travelling and living abroad can change someone’s perspective on life.
- Interviewers : Camille Sidolle, Amrita Tarlochan, Lilou Duchemein, Garance Bois-Micard,Blandine Perier
- Photographer : Maëlle Lecouturier
- Writers : Chloé Rabec, Pauline Beaumont, Elina bosquet, Lana Christy, Lou-Anne Binet, Joséphine Hersperger, Marius Levilly.
- Coordinator : Océane Mancel
