Nicolas Duriau (Charleroi, 1995) studied English at CVO Semper for several years (2020-24). At the time, he was a research fellow at ULB university, conducting research in 19th-century French literature. He then obtained a postdoctoral research fellowship at Oxford University (2024-25). Following his stay in Oxford, he moved on as a postdoctoral fellow in literary and gender studies at ENS Lyon (2025-26).
One of his former English teachers at CVO Semper, Kris, became curious about Nicolas’s whereabouts, and decided to contact him. Now based in Paris, Nicolas happened to be spending a few weeks in Brussels. It was a scorching morning in late June, and they met for coffee and croissants on a terrace overlooking the bustling Fernand Coq Square in Ixelles.
Hi Nicolas, it’s so good to see you again!
Yes, indeed! I’m glad to see you, too! How have you been?
After catching up for a while, we turned to the subject of learning English.
So tell me, how did you first hear about the language courses at CVO Semper?
It was quite a number of years ago. My Italian partner at the time, who was a civil servant at the European Institutions, was taking a French course at CVO Semper. His circle of friends was largely English-speaking, and I often felt a little left out because I couldn’t fully participate in the conversations. So love was definitely an incentive for me to sign up for an English course!
And what was your first class experience like?
I ended up in an intermediate class (B1+), focusing on writing, reading, speaking and listening. I realized I was able to speak about my research and about academic topics, but not about everyday life. That came as a bit of a shock. I discovered I wasn’t actually as good at speaking English as I thought, and CVO Semper turned out to be an excellent place to improve. I was happy with the quality of the lessons; they definitely took me out of my comfort zone. I realized that my vocabulary, grammar and fluency all needed improvement.
I think I’m one of those people who first needed a solid grounding in grammar before stepping out into the world and actually using the language. I felt very comfortable as a student. I happily engaged in studying the vocabulary and grammar, and I dutifully completed the assignments. After that first course, I already felt much less afraid to speak English.
After you finished that course, what happened?
I took an upper-intermediate (B2) conversation class of English for two consecutive years. I’d always been so focused on writing English properly, so focusing exclusively on speaking and listening was a completely different experience. It was exactly what I needed at the time, and it opened so many doors! At university, you’re trained to write essays in English but not to engage in day to day conversations. I was able to carry out my research in English, but I couldn’t really talk about it.
The classes also allowed me to meet people from all kinds of backgrounds and walks of life, both teachers and fellow students. Being in a non-academic environment was so refreshing. At the same time, the level of the classes was excellent and my linguistic background sometimes was an asset, for example when we learned about the pronunciation of certain sounds.
There weren’t too many students in our class and we felt fortunate to have so many opportunities to speak English, with the teacher always close by to monitor us. She never hesitated to correct us, which helped me improve enormously.
How did those first two years of conversation classes shape you?
Not only did they help me speak better English in my academic context, but they also built my confidence in my personal life, for example when dating. So the benefits clearly went far beyond just the professional sphere. We also covered vocabulary topics I’d never imagined would be useful, like vocabulary related to air travel. I can now travel confidently in English, knowing all about aisle versus window seats and overhead lockers! (laughs)
And what came next?
I moved on to an advanced class (C2) in conversation with a new teacher, Frauke. We took part in debates in English, which was something new for me as well. In French speaking culture, debating is very much part of everyday conversation, so I felt I could transfer some of that into English. My Dutch speaking friends often get the impression us francophones are arguing, when in fact we’re only having a lively discussion!
Another exercise I vividly remember involved impersonating a famous person. I ended up choosing Julie Andrews, which may have seemed like a surprising choice to some people. My mother first introduced me to the Sound of Music as a child, and I’ve watched it countless times ever since. Julie Andrews became something of an icon to me.
That January I started preparing my application for a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Oxford.
Which you obtained - congratulations! What was Oxford like?
During the first week, I felt quite overwhelmed. I was walking across the university grounds when I accidentally dropped my phone and shattered the screen. I remember running into the department secretary, whose reaction struck me as so British.
“Oh my god,” she said, “I’m so sorry! Would you like a glass of water or a cup of tea?” And I remember thinking: “I’m not sure how that’s going to fix my phone…” (laughs)
At the beginning of my stay there, I didn’t yet feel completely at ease. Fortunately, there were a lot of foreigners, so I didn’t get the impression my English was being judged so much. The British did make me feel a bit self-conscious, but at the same time they were genuinely appreciative of foreigners making the effort to speak their language.
I remember this Oxford professor of twentieth-century French literature who emailed me explaining he’d write to me in English because “that would be easier for both of us”. French literature was his field, but he still preferred to communicate with me, a native French speaker, in English. I found that absolutely mind-boggling!
I also have a Belgian francophone friend who applied for a position to teach French literature at Oxford. He didn’t get the job because his English - which would have been the language of instruction - wasn’t considered good enough. Unbelievable!
Is there anything you’d like to share about your life now?
I live in Paris and currently hold a teaching position in Lyon. I still come back to Brussels from time to time, though. I occasionally run into my C1 teacher, and we say hello and have a quick chat. And now, of course, I’m being interviewed by my former B2 teacher. It’s been great seeing you again!
Likewise, Nicolas! Thank you so much for this conversation, and best of luck with everything!
