Sylvie Régina :Importance de l'interculturalité au Canada et en Caraïbes.

Lara Valentin

I’m very glad you accepted to join our podcast and to share with us your experiences and your point of view on this specific topic: the importance of elegance in behaviors.

So, could you introduce yourself for our audience please?

Sylvie Regina

Yes. My name is Sylvie Regina. I am from Martinique. I lived abroad for quite a long time. I lived in the USA. I worked in marketing and public relations. I am also a translator. I worked as a translator when I lived in Montreal, Canada.

Now I teach English to students at the University of the Antilles in Martinique, students in economics and political science.

Last week I went with 15 students to Barbados to meet with institutions based there such as the United Nations agencies and the European Union Delegation to CARICOM, OECS and the rest of the Caribbean.

Lara Valentin

If you agree, we will take time to talk about different parts of your intervention because you talked about your past and what you did. It’s very impressive because you traveled a lot around the world for your job and for your personal life.

That’s a very important point for me because you learned English and you use it in both your personal and professional life, and you’re an interpreter, which is specific. So if you want, we can talk about that a little bit, and then move on to more recent events.

Sylvie Regina

Yes.

Lara Valentin

So if I can ask you something about your past… When you were in Canada, for example, what was important for you when you think about elegance? Or, do you think elegance was important for the people in Canada?

Sylvie Regina

In Canada, to tell you the truth, compared to my previous professional life, elegance was not the main thing because, as you know, it’s quite cold for many months of the year.

Lara Valentin

Perhaps more about behaviors, because when we talk about elegance, it’s not just about clothes, but also about how we behave.

Sylvie Regina

Yes, I think you’re right. For example, in the winter in Canada, when you go to someone’s house, you bring your elegant shoes with you. You leave your boots at the entrance and wear proper shoes inside, even in the middle of winter.

Elegance is indeed in how you behave, but I think it’s more visible in a big city like New York where people, especially women, walk a lot before getting to the office.

Lara Valentin

When I listen to you, it makes me smile. For me, it’s important to share the idea that elegance isn’t only about clothing. Like you said, if the weather isn’t good, you can’t always wear beautiful or feminine clothes.

But if you have good behavior—saying good morning, standing or sitting a certain way, speaking kindly with people—that’s also a part of elegance. Not just how you look, but how you appear.

Sylvie Regina

That’s very true. Elegance is also about the way you interact with people. You can’t enter an elevator without being nice and polite.

When I lived in New York, something that struck me was how total strangers would stop you in the street and pay you a compliment, just because of how you walk or how you appear. People are not stingy with compliments. Even on the subway. That definitely contributes to your self-confidence and how you present yourself.

Lara Valentin

And it’s interesting because you moved through different parts of the world. Even if geographically close—like Canada and the US—expectations can be very different, whether it’s about the weather or the environment.

But everyone analyzes behaviors and situations. It’s interesting to focus on that.

Sylvie Regina

Yes.

Lara Valentin

Now let’s talk about Barbados. You mentioned some very specific and official places and people. What happened there?

Sylvie Regina

I could really see the cultural differences. I think the Anglo-Saxon culture is more formal.

We were invited to the residence of the European Union ambassador. On the invitation, it said “elegantly casual.”

For three days, everyone was wondering: “What does that really mean? I don’t have anything for that kind of event.”

It was probably the first time our group heard that expression. How do you match being elegant and casual? These words seem like opposites.

But everyone managed to look elegant without doing too much. They didn’t show too much skin. It wasn’t only about their clothes, but also about the pride they felt going to the event. That pride probably mattered more than the outfits themselves.

Lara Valentin

It’s interesting because, again, you make me think. If you don’t know the social codes or etiquette, you can’t invent it. You need to learn it during your childhood or in your job, or just ask people.

And it’s simple—you don’t have to be afraid or confused. We’re not supposed to know everything about every culture. It’s intercultural, and interesting to talk about.

Sylvie Regina

That’s so true.

Lara Valentin

And like you said, with self-control and self-confidence, things grow.

Sylvie Regina

Yes. I like the word “etiquette”—it’s used in English, and there’s no real equivalent in French. It’s used even in communication. When you send an email, for example, there’s a certain etiquette to follow.

Lara Valentin

It’s a way to create connection and to interact with people.

Can you share a memorable moment where behavior or elegance played a key role in your life?

Sylvie Regina

There are many, but one striking moment was when I was invited to a black tie event. I was younger and didn’t have the means to buy anything expensive.

An artist living in my building, who made beautiful jewelry, lent me a large necklace that covered most of my upper chest. It was stunning.

My dress wasn’t extraordinary, but that necklace made me feel extremely elegant. Not just because it was beautiful, but because this artist trusted me to wear her creation.

People noticed and complimented me. I was proud. It showed me that details matter, and that “more” isn’t always better.

Lara Valentin

So true. That’s really interesting.

Now, let’s talk about your current life, especially at the university. How do you cultivate or pass on savoir-vivre or savoir-être, professionally or personally?

Sylvie Regina

I believe it’s a mix of everything. I teach English, so I make sure my students don’t use slang or overly casual expressions like “gonna” or “wanna.”

Many of them are quite good in English, but they tend to speak or write too casually.

Communication matters. The way you talk, the way you sit—everything reflects the respect you show for others.

Lara Valentin

How old are your students?

Sylvie Regina

They’re in their early twenties.

Lara Valentin

Do you feel a difference between your generation and theirs? Or even between them and your children, if you have any?

Sylvie Regina

Yes, definitely. I teach students in management, and one unit I teach is about working with different generations.

Most of my students are Gen Z. They have different values and expectations. They were born with smartphones and the internet, which shaped their mindset and how they see the world.

Lara Valentin

Do you think they understand what you mean when you talk about etiquette—not just hear it, but really feel it in their lives?

Sylvie Regina

They do. They really value what I say. In the end, it’s all about values. Older generations have so much to share, and younger generations are eager to learn.

They have their own perspectives, but they’re open to learning from their elders.

Lara Valentin

So they’re open-minded?

Sylvie Regina

Yes, very. They’re more worldly. The world is smaller for them, thanks to technology.

It’s hopeful. Some people say it’s hard to connect with them, that they’re always online, while we need physical contact. But I think we can build bridges.

The older generation shouldn’t complain—they should try to understand. I enjoy seeing the differences and talking about them. Intergenerational communication is very important.

Lara Valentin

We talked about many things—interculturality, intergenerational dialogue, travel. Could you give us a gift, something to remember, a value to carry with us?

Sylvie Regina

I’d say: it’s important to care about each other.

We live in a world filled with negative information and hard realities. We shouldn’t live in our own bubbles. We should be open-minded.

Open-mindedness is key.

Lara Valentin

Why is it important to care?

Sylvie Regina

Because it’s the only way to show that we matter—not through what we have, but through what we are.

Being is more important than having.

Lara Valentin

That’s a deep and beautiful way to see life. We need to connect with others, talk, grow, and create links. And yes, to be can be a powerful way to live.

Sylvie Regina

Exactly.

Lara Valentin

Thank you very much, Sylvie. I really enjoyed our conversation.

Sylvie Regina

Me too. Thank you for having me.

Lara Valentin

Thank you for joining us. See you—or hear you—in another episode!

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