Just Learn to Be Okay With Mistakes and Take That Leap

Prageet Goel is a 21-year-old who loves to travel and make friends. Currently, she's in France for the Assistant d'anglais program and is also a freelance lifestyle writer. She likes to call herself 'Jack of all trades, master of some.'

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

I'm a 21-year-old who was born and brought up in the industrial city of Kanpur, the one people often associate with all the wrong things. I've always been someone who can't sit idle, so I love to try out new things and learn new skills.

When I first joined my new school in Kanpur in grade 5 (2009), my English was a little rusty and I was often looked down upon by others. From there to now, things have changed for the better. I'm currently teaching English to French students!

I did most of my schooling from Kanpur and I've completed my Bachelor's in French from the much-coveted yet controversial Delhi University. I've done plenty of internships throughout my college life and I've also volunteered for a variety of causes close to my heart.

Currently, I'm in the beautiful town of L'Isle Jourdain, France as an English Language Assistant at 2 government schools. I'm also a freelance writer and have written for a bunch of different recommendations, food, and travel platforms.

I also have my Insta blog @prageetgoel where I share what goes in my head and where I go!

2. When and why did you chose this field?

So, I've always loved traveling and meeting new people. It sounds cliché but it's true and I think I get my love for languages from there. It's nice to think those language barriers aren't a thing but in reality, it's always good to know the local language if you'd really like to discover a place.

To be honest, since grade 6, I wanted to be a Fashion designer, I even got into NIFT but somehow, I just ended up at Delhi University. I did my Bachelor's in French at the Department of Germanic and Romance Studies and was part of the Batch of 2020.

3. What is the Assistant d'anglais program that you're doing?

Assistant d'anglais or English Language Assistantship is basically a program that lets you go and teach English to government school students in France. It's for 7 months from October to April and it's like a paid internship.

You need to have a 7.5 or more in IELTS along with a minimum of B1 in the French language in order to apply. Also, you get almost 2 months of paid vacations!

4. What skills does one need to make a career in Foreign Language Assistant/Writing?

There isn't one skill that you need, but a variety of them. For me, my versatility, flexibility, and ability to adapt quickly to new things worked. And of course, communication skills are always a bonus!

Talking of writing, consistency is the key. You'll not always write great content but you need to be okay with that and move on.

5. What has been your biggest challenge that you faced and how did you overcome that?

There have been plenty of those but the most recent one was getting tested Positive for COVID 19, a day before my flight. It was devastating, I had worked really hard for almost 6 months for the Assistant d'anglais program and it all came crashing down for a moment.

But after an hour of crying, I realized that I can still manage. So, I took extra good care of myself, thanks to my family's support and my friends who constantly checked on me. And within 2.5 weeks, I tested Negative and boarded my flight to France!

In challenging times like the one I faced, it's essential to remember that life will throw challenges your way. You just have to know that you're stronger than those and have a solution-oriented approach.

6. How do you define success for yourself?

I think success for me is happiness because if you're successful but not content, what's the point?

We mostly think that success is in the big goals but it's also in the small achievements. Because when you start feeling successful in your small achievements, you'll be motivated to go for the big ones too.

7. What piece of advice would you like to give to future aspiring writers?

Just practice and learn to be fine with bad pieces of writing. Also, read more. That's all because there's no short cut to writing better. I've been writing for over 5-6 years now and I still find faults in my work.

8. Which is your favorite book and why?

I'm really indecisive when it comes to choosing favorites; books, movies, songs... But if I have to choose, the one that comes to my mind is Becoming by Michelle Obama.

What a beautiful and intimate memoir! It gives you so much insight into how a black woman went on to become the First Lady of the USA. It also makes you feel and gives you hope in a way! And it's such a simple and easy read that even someone who just started reading can savor it!