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Amelie Delfly on Hotel Life, World Travel & Dreams | What’s Kraken Interview
15 Plays12 days ago
In this episode of What’s Kraken, Jo surprises co-host Amelie with a deep dive into her fascinating life – from growing up in a historic French bed and breakfast to working hotels across Europe, Asia, and beyond. Amelie shares heartfelt stories of family work ethic, saving fiercely for independence, falling in love with Asia's community spirit, and her burning dream of owning a B&B that empowers others. From childhood hustles earning Toys R Us gift cards to navigating young adult struggles, this raw chat inspires dreaming big and grinding smart. Check out more at https://linktr.ee/Emptyhell. We're Amazon Affiliates – if you buy through our links, we earn a commission!
KEY MOMENTS
- Surprise trap – Jo ambushes Amelie mid-movie hangout for an unplanned What's Kraken takeover
- Childhood hustle spark – Amelie greets guests at age 5, racks up Toys R Us gift cards from impressed English visitors
- Family work ethic insight – Growing up in a public bed and breakfast teaches discipline, politeness, and helping out from day one
- Young adult grind story – Saving fiercely at McDonald's, dishwashing gigs, and hostels to gain independence without burdening parents
- Asia love revelation – Why family-run businesses, friendliness, and community in Asia stole her heart and mirrored her upbringing
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Transcript
Amelie's Unexpected Podcast Appearance
00:00:15
Speaker
Hey everyone, Joe here with another exciting episode of What's Crackin'. That's right, motherfuckers. My co-host from Streaming Demons, Amelie, does not know she's actually on What's Crackin' today.
00:00:25
Speaker
That's why I set the entire thing up. We just got done watching a movie. We will talk about the movie later. But I want you to meet my co-host with What's Crackin'. So, hey, Amelie. Pleasure to have you here today.
00:00:38
Speaker
You're on mute. Hi, Joseph. Hello. So, did you have any idea we're actually going to do What's Crackin'? No, no, I think I said we actually did watch a movie and I gave you the first link to the room because i was like, I wasn't thinking like oh shit, that's streaming demons. Hold on. Let me remove that.
00:00:56
Speaker
Yes, yes, yes. This is a big setup. it's a trap. It's not a joke. It's not a joke. This is a fucking trap. Yes, we're actually doing what's cracking. Oh, God, no. I remember because you sent me the link. Yeah. And i'm like, yes, it's the normal link and then you're like, oh, so that's not the right thing.
Amelie's Journey in the Hospitality Industry
00:01:15
Speaker
This is a link for tomorrow. And I didn't think about it. Maybe be you made a mistake.
00:01:20
Speaker
Would I make a mistake? Well, kind of, because i should I should have set it up a little bit better. But yeah, look at the link. It just says your name on it. It doesn't say like the thing. Anyways, today's what's cracking comes because Amelie,
00:01:37
Speaker
was a guest speaker at a place where I was at and she talked a lot. Thank you very much for that. By the way, she talked a lot about her experience in the hotel industry and I was fascinated as as hell and you had a very cool life. So I thought why not do the last what's cracking of the year to be you.
00:02:00
Speaker
Season four ends with you kid. Yeah. Now For those of you that don't know just give me a small background. were in the hotel industry since a child then, right?
00:02:13
Speaker
Yeah, correct. My father was a gardener. My mother was a cook. So long story short, the building will used to be manor for a rich family in the region called the Scosmans. They had mill with a water, lalis, which is a river who go in my hometown.
00:02:32
Speaker
And they had next to... the manor, their factory. They were doing flour. In the village, they had a train to take the flour to the city and to sell it in the market.
00:02:44
Speaker
They were very, very rich. And they basically, the family died. And the children, the grandchildren, didn't want it the manor. So they had some disagreements with the testament.
00:02:58
Speaker
The city
Growing Up in a Bed and Breakfast
00:03:00
Speaker
or the region both lived The building, it was renovated in the 1985.
00:03:09
Speaker
And it was meant to be a retirement place when you place people to retire. Like people, for example, with Alzheimer or people who were able to to rest with, you know, cleaning difficulties, etc. um The budget was voted and they decided to make it a bed and breakfast. So it's not a private bed and breakfast. Wait, wait, wait, wait.
00:03:32
Speaker
So they didn't actually try the the elderly care place first or they they actually had that and they're like, get the fuck out old people. We're gonna make this bed and breakfast now? That's an excellent question.
00:03:44
Speaker
When the region of the building, yeah at the beginning beginning, it was planned to become a retirement place. Oh, they planned to do it. Okay. okay But some budget thing, etc. They changed their mind.
00:03:58
Speaker
and they decided to make it a bed and breakfast. So it's not a private bed and breakfast, it was a public bed and breakfast. So you have, for example, green school coming, a student coming to learn how to become ah teachers, AA meetings, but also for private use, like for example, wedding, anniversary, family reunion, the town har gathering, et cetera, et cetera. But a lot of politicians would come to celebrate for the vote. I remember mayor coming to celebrate this win. I remember the deputy coming in the in in so bed and breakfast for some political gathering. you know And it was a fantastic experience to live there. My mom enters the bed and breakfast as a cleaning lady. She became later a cook.
00:04:51
Speaker
And my dad, who was married to her, was a metal worker. But because they were they had financial difficulty and
Challenges and Early Career in France
00:05:00
Speaker
they were a young couple, the director proposed to them to become the concierge in exchange of a small space in the bed and breakfast.
00:05:07
Speaker
And they stayed. So you literally grew up in the bed and breakfast, like that was your house? Correct. it Yes. My parents lived in the bed and breakfast from 1988 and I was born in 1990. Wow.
00:05:23
Speaker
And then you went to school to do this professionally as well then, right? Correct. Yes. I went to school in aa high school in Lycée Vauban in my hometown. making up now. we have two sections in Lycée Vauban.
00:05:38
Speaker
So, high school Vauban. The general to go to university and the professional. I stayed in the general. And then after my baccalaureate, I decided to do an additional year, but in the professional side to become a receptionist. My end goal was to be 18 years old, 19 years old with a driving license and look for a job with a diploma and say, hey, I have a professional degree. I would like to be a receptionist.
00:06:08
Speaker
And does the idea was to have enough time to pass my driving license, because in France, you can have your driving license from 18 years old. And I got my baccalaureate 17. So i was too young to go to university. I was too immature. I was not ready.
00:06:22
Speaker
and And for those who are not in the European sense, when Amelie is saying receptionist, she doesn't mean that
00:06:34
Speaker
she means receptionist in the sense of a hotel industry. Like we would would call it and the the, you know the manager, the night desk, the audit, the clerk, whatever it's going to be. That's what we'd say in the States.
00:06:46
Speaker
So you went there and you were a smart one since you got out 17. i think there's a good year to graduate high school, by the way, i hear all the cool people graduated then.
00:06:58
Speaker
And then you were stuck in this in between spot because you were not quite a boy, but you're not quite a man until you're eight. No, that's Alice Cooper. Anyways, once you got 18, then can have your driver's license, which bizarre French custom between that and texting, do you suck? I don't know, which one was more bizarre for me.
00:07:18
Speaker
And then you got your independence and then you kind of went out to work. Did you stay in just one one area in France or do you like move around? So it's an excellent question. You have to be stuck.
00:07:30
Speaker
The only way to go away is if your parents give you money, like for example, pay for your flats, for your plane ticket. kit help you financially speaking. My father was a metal worker. My mother was a cook in a bed and breakfast.
00:07:44
Speaker
and not a private one. They were not rich. They did have savings, and they did allocate money for me, and they helped me out along the way. But in North of France, when you're a worker, or from the working class, you learn from a very young age, you need to find a work to have a part-time job. You cannot be just a student.
00:08:02
Speaker
You can be a student and work at McDonald's, or if you want to work and study, family pushes you towards the professional level,
00:08:14
Speaker
high school, become a secretary, become an accountant, or maybe a becker, this kind of thing. I couldn't find a job as a receptionist because I didn't have a driving license.
00:08:24
Speaker
And it's very difficult in France to be taken seriously when you're aged between 18 and 23 years old. They tend to take more people who really need to meet to feed their family because there's a lot of young people at 18 years old. It's please take the door and bye-bye.
00:08:41
Speaker
So when you go and you try to find a job, they're like, I'm terribly sorry, Amélie, I can't take you. Like if you were a teen mom, maybe, but we
Working Abroad and Cultural Insights
00:08:50
Speaker
have to take Jeremy because Jeremy needs to feed his brother, for example. And you're like, okay, so it's a lot of social, a lot of- Sorry, you didn't get pregnant.
00:09:00
Speaker
Yeah, and so drugs I didn't I didn't end up like that, which is a tricky situation in North of France because either your parents pay for your flat and you go to Arras ou Lille, which is a big city, or you need you really need savings. You really need to find a place in Lille, then look for a job. So what I did is I worked for McDonald's for two years.
00:09:23
Speaker
I paid my driving license. My parents were really good to me and they gave me their car, a Dacia Logan. who I kept for oh almost 10 years. I really love that car.
00:09:35
Speaker
um I saved the maximum of money. And the thing I did was to save the maximum of money and to be independent without being a burden for my parents.
00:09:47
Speaker
I kind of find an agreement with them. I say, look, my goal is to stay with you till 25 years old maximum. i want to work and live in the hostel, hotel campsite where I work.
00:09:59
Speaker
for free, okay, ah in the premises. Like this, I'm going to save the maximum of money. However, it may be possible I come back home. My mother hates when kids go back to their home. We call it le boomerang. It's like the Australian, you know, the boomerang. It's adults who leave their parents and come back, leave their parents and come back. My mom, no, she didn't want it that.
00:10:28
Speaker
Her idea was if you get married, if you're fiancé, if you have a boyfriend and you want to live with your boyfriend, you go, you don't come back. Of course, if you're in danger, you can come back. So from 18 to 25 years old, I work, work, work, save money.
00:10:46
Speaker
did jobs I didn't like, dish pig, wet dress. I did some small gig, et cetera. But also work in U4stel, in hotel in Lidl, et cetera, with accommodation.
00:10:58
Speaker
I save a lot of money. i had my personal goal. And at 25 years old, when I was ready, I left. I took my car and I went back to Prague. Really?
00:11:10
Speaker
So when we met, you just got your driver's license. And you were living at home, more or less. Yeah, I think so. no I think I was 20-something. As Amelie's internet catches up there.
00:11:25
Speaker
Yeah. Yes. So I'm just trying to frame it in my mind all this. Yeah, I was 20-something. And then after you went to Prague first, and you didn't go to Germany. No, I went to Slovenia when I was 18 years old.
00:11:38
Speaker
So I went to Germany when I was 18 years old Okay, so you actually got out before then, but you were still kind of going back and forth. I traveled a lot. I went to different places. Until you're 25. Yes.
00:11:50
Speaker
Yes. Okay. Yes. But it was just till 25. What brought you to those places? If you go, for example, in England for six months, okay, cool, no problem. If you want to walk, yeah.
00:12:01
Speaker
You can. You can. You know what I mean. Like, it's okay. If, for example, I say to my mom as at that time, between 18 to 25, I'm going six months in Germany. Okay, no problem. I'm going six months to be in a boat and to the Mediterranean see and walk as a receptionist or waitress or whatsoever, yeah, no problem. Save money, do that.
00:12:24
Speaker
But see if I decided to leave home, say bye-bye forever, I don't come back. So I had personally a time where I was like, if at 26 years old, I'm sitting with my parents, I'm a fucking loser.
00:12:38
Speaker
That's what I thought. And going to work with the idea the mindset of I'm going to save a maximum of money, i have a budget, working with different hotels, looking for work, place to be, etc.
00:12:53
Speaker
Yeah. Right. No regrets. No regrets. And then what was the place that you liked the most when you it? Because I know you went around the world doing this. What was the place you liked the most?
00:13:05
Speaker
Asia. Again, i know that's kind like coming you. really like Asia because it's very simple. So Asia? Okay, why Asia? Asia. Asia, because it's very clean. People are very friendly.
00:13:16
Speaker
They have a very interesting work ethic, which is family. You work with your cousin, uncle, etc. Religion is mixed with it, but it's subtle. It's very beautiful.
00:13:31
Speaker
um You can meet people who are Christian. You can meet people who are Muslim. You can meet people who are Buddhist, who eat different food. They're
Childhood Hospitality Lessons
00:13:40
Speaker
very friendly. as They speak different language. Some speak French. Some speak English very well. And everybody speak Mandarin Chinese, which is really interesting. And you have people from India. There is no racism.
00:13:56
Speaker
Everybody is with everybody. And it's normal, you know? I really like it I like being there because it was beautiful. I really like the jungle, as you know.
00:14:10
Speaker
i liked also how they do business. It's very important to give back the money they ask from the bank. And they work as a family. When you open your business, family help.
00:14:26
Speaker
So your uncle is going to help to repaint. Your cousin is going to look after your children. um If you're sick, maybe your mother is going to come at the till, etc. her it's Work is a part of daily life, but family is there to really help you. And I really like to observe that.
00:14:47
Speaker
So it kind of reminds you, I'm guessing when you grew up on the bed and breakfast, or in the bed and breakfast, I should say, that you also helped out your parents at the bed and breakfast, right?
00:14:58
Speaker
Yes, yes. From the age of five, I remember welcoming English people and saying, hello, my name is Amélie. I'm one, two, three, four, five years old.
00:15:10
Speaker
Office closed. So you're basically the little kid at the door? Sometimes in the weekend, we would have, for example, a foreigner. Did you get tips? I'm just curious. Did you get tips?
00:15:22
Speaker
Yes, yes. i That's a beautiful story. English people would go to Calais and at Calais, was the first Us. Emily, if you're saying something, your internet is really crap right now. Oh, there you go.
00:15:35
Speaker
Sorry. I was saying ah at Calais, we had the first Toys R Us. Toys R Us. You know Toys R Us with the giraffe? The toy shop.
00:15:46
Speaker
So what English people would do is they would go to the shop and get gift cards. Yeah. So I would have gift cards from them. And my parents told me later on in life, they would come to my mom and say, we met the little girl. She speaks very good English. Here's a gift card. So at the end of the year, I would rack up a lot of gift cards and I had a lot of toys. So they would take me to Calais and I would set select my toys. So that was my first payment was Toys R Us gift card.
00:16:19
Speaker
Are you serious? You're like a hustler since a little kid. Like... I'm so cute. Look at me. i can give me a gift card now, please. Yeah. I was very happy to have them because how England was magical. Your world is so weird to me. When I grew up. Beatles, David Bowie, they tell it to be ah yeah yeah the the Queen, the Prince of Diana, you know, like it was something. was a Spice Girl.
00:16:44
Speaker
England as a Spice Girl. So for a little girl with six years old, I was like, I want to go to England. It's so beautiful, you know. And I learned English. And they were so nice because, you know, it's the 90s. There were no internet. So seeing a five-year-old little French girl speaking a little bit of English, they were always like, what?
00:17:05
Speaker
um You speak English so well and you're so cool. And I would have candies and stuff like English people were really cool. But the English people would come to our bed and breakfast was we're often very posh, you know, very, they would have money. So I had a beautiful vision of England.
00:17:24
Speaker
Yeah, you didn't see like the working class coming by and going, hey, mother.
00:17:36
Speaker
Hey everyone, hope you liked our small break. We're back. Our little technical difficulty monkey went away. Now, you're talking about how you were scamming rich people from England out of Toys R Us. Go on. Yes.
00:17:48
Speaker
So when um whence they would come and I would greet them, they were so impressed by my English they would go to my mother and say, what's the story with a little girl who speaks English? She's so cute. She was a black lab. Mom would say, oh, she's my daughter.
00:18:08
Speaker
Fantastic. What does she like? would like to give her candy, maybe a Barbie or something. And because at that time, people would come by car with a train under the sea, they would say, oh, if you rock by the shopping mall center of Calais,
00:18:24
Speaker
um There is a Toys R Us, get us a gift card. And they were like, okay, cool. So I had so many gift cards. My parents would take me, for example, for my birthday or Christmas and buy my my gift with a gift card.
00:18:39
Speaker
Very simple. Even for Jerry, they would ah share my little brother Jerry. So it was very, really cool. basically, your parents were putting you into work. Instead of buying you Christmas and birthday presents, they made you earn them since you were a small child yourself.
00:18:56
Speaker
I never thought about it like that. I never thought about it.
Work Ethic and Aspirations
00:19:00
Speaker
But yeah, maybe, maybe. Or sometimes I had candy, had toys, this kind of thing. You know, they were very impressed. Even the French, they were impressed by I look when I was for a little girl. I didn't have the not for French accent. I was speaking very politely. i knew what to do.
00:19:16
Speaker
So we go grab a pen, a little notebook and say, can you write your family name, first name, telephone phone number? And I will give it to my mom. She's a cook. And my dad is a gardener. Sometimes i would I would fetch my parents and say, hey, there is somebody here.
00:19:31
Speaker
you know i think they're English or the French or whatsoever. So yeah, it's a cool thing. yeah it was it's I didn't know that about you. That's adorable. Now, when you compare that to what you see in Asia about the family all the family helping out, is that kind of maybe why you like Asia? Because it reminds you? It's the same.
00:19:48
Speaker
Have you ever been to a Chinese restaurant and it's a kid who welcome you? Hi, how many people? Two? Please come with me. You have the menu? Okay, I'm going to fetch my uncle. that doesn't do it all yeah That's the best.
00:20:01
Speaker
that's You never gave them a gift card from Toys R Us, did you? Cheap bastard. No, but I gave you some tips. I like that. i like that i like this idea of money don't grow on trees, you know?
00:20:15
Speaker
You need to play your parts. You need to be polite because it's great to live in a bed and breakfast. You meet a lot of people. You play with a lot of kids. You know, there is extraordinary people and so many stories. And I had so much space for little kid.
00:20:30
Speaker
Like it was a manor. Could you imagine? in Like ah I really had a lot of fun. Right. But at the same time, you need to well behaved. You can't fight with another kid. Sometimes you have classes you don't like and they bully you.
00:20:43
Speaker
Or for example... ah Sometimes there is groups, you can't play with them. You need to stay in your bedroom because, you know, they lost someone. And this is not a a school. It's a group from the AA a meeting and you can't go. You know what I mean?
00:21:01
Speaker
That's interesting. There ups and downs. that That is very cool. And I kind of know what you mean. My dad worked for a country club, which is, it was a stayover country club. They were Derryman's country club in Wisconsin.
00:21:15
Speaker
And only the rich of the rich could go. That's the clientele. There were no AA meetings there. There were plenty people who probably should have been in AA, who allegedly, but no no meetings there, right?
00:21:27
Speaker
And his job was to do the outdoors, everything. like Like him and I would go snowmobile so people could ski behind us to like groom the trails. And he made the groomers and he did all these things on the skis and outside and stuff like that and some of the things you're right if you didn't get along with the kids you couldn't say shit because they're the guest they're always right your job is to well work a we didn't have i was too ugly for the front you know so i was always in back one of us was a little pretty pretty pretty i was like no quasimodo get the fuck back in there man
00:22:07
Speaker
Shake your head, shake your head. But I think it forms work ethic, both of us. Yes. Because you have an insane work ethic. Like one of the few people I can go like, God damn, do you work more than me? Like, how did that work out? You know, do you think that is something you can pass on? Is like, are you happy for that work ethic? Or do you wish you could kind of dial it back a bit?
00:22:29
Speaker
First of all, I noticed in high school that was different. I was working, I was very serious, I was very eloquent. I was voluntary, I was not lazy.
00:22:39
Speaker
I always said, I want to do that, etc. because I need money, because I want to travel the world. I had a very good idea of what I wanted. And that's what the teacher and later on HR say to me, you know what you want in life. I remember having an interview and be 22 years old and they say, we're not going to hire you. However, we want to tell you, number one, you always tell the truth. You say, you're not good in accounting.
00:23:04
Speaker
You know what you want because you're like, oh, in 10 years' time, I would like to have my bed and breakfast and I would like to save money. I would like to work here because I would like to get the experience for. A lot of people are like, I don't know. will see. They know what they want, like buy a house or a car,
Dreams of Owning a Bed and Breakfast
00:23:20
Speaker
but they don't have personal...
00:23:23
Speaker
wish like i would like one day to have my family but i want to have a bed and breakfast like when you met me the first thing i said is my dream is i would like to open a bed and breakfast no would like travel the world first thing you said to me like wow you're tall yes that was the first real life in real life i say oh my god you're tall why is that so huge okay what do they feed you man yeah But that is something i think that has stuck with me as long as I knew You you did want your bed and breakfast.
00:23:54
Speaker
and is that something you're still going for? wanted my bed and breakfast because number one, living in a bed and breakfast destroyed my view in normal housing. I do not understand why I have to pay rent to live in a place.
00:24:11
Speaker
I have the impression i I'm losing money. I would rather prefer pay rent to a place or pay a mortgage and welcome people from all around the world, make them pay to live at my place for a short period of time.
00:24:26
Speaker
And at the same time, I like the idea of employing people with disability, autism, dyslexia, Down syndrome,
00:24:37
Speaker
and give them a permanent contract and a pride and a title like Monsieur Dupont, Gardner, Monsieur Chevalier, Receptionist, and give the opportunity to kids to come to my hotel or my bed and breakfast and learn French or English or get a few lines in the CV to leave and go to a different country because I was scared between 18 and 23 years old. I was really scared. I'm like, my mother is a cook. She's a fantastic cook. I'm a bad cook. My dad is a metal worker and he was a gardener and he always work and he has a very good headache. I have the impression to be lazy. bad
00:25:21
Speaker
My parents got married. They were 18 years old. I'm 19 years old. I work at McDonald's. I have difficulties to pass my driving license because I took five times to get my driving license. Yeah. That's why between 18 and 20 years old, i had a long time to pass my driving license. I was i was very anxious and stuff. And when you're between 18 and 23 years old, you're an adult, but you're still a kid. You're in the no man's land of who are you, you know? Legally, you're an adult.
00:25:51
Speaker
But in your head, you just appeared. You don't know. And it's scary because you don't know what's going on. You don't know if you're going to succeed. You don't know if you're going to find the love all of your life. You don't know if you you you're going to England or not.
00:26:05
Speaker
To give you an idea, I lived in Calais, right? You just take the train and boom, in and one hour, you're in London. I went to Australia. I went to the Outback. I went to Asia during COVID.
00:26:19
Speaker
I got... stuck in Kuala Lumpur. People around me didn't speak French, they speak only English. I speak English very well. You met me when I was speaking good English for the French. I speak now Sri Llanguage, friantly, easy peasy lemon squeezy. And now I'm living with my children and my husband in Prague, Czech Republic.
00:26:40
Speaker
I gave birth to a certificate. Yeah. And I'm not a doctor. ah Yeah, you it's cute. You find your sit in some situations who are funny like that, especially when you live abroad. you know You try to speak the language, to help people, and you find yourself in funny situation.
00:26:57
Speaker
Like if 18 years old Amelie met 35 years old Amelie, she would be gobsmacked. She was like, wow, what's that woman? She's badass.
00:27:09
Speaker
She's like an astronaut or something. Like, she speaks different language, she gave birth to a set of triplet in Czech Republic, she got restrained in Kuala Lumpur in a hotel, she walk in different areas all around the world, she walk in a private island in a boat. Wow. Not Jeffrey, I've seen private island, a different private island for the record. Turtle Island. Turtle Island. Turtle Island. Yes, I... Okay, you're saying 18-year-old Amelie will be godsmacked by you, but...
00:27:40
Speaker
And this goes back to a thing that happened today. So if people don't know, Anneli had a housekeeper that came in to the building. She let her man, walked right by her after that.
00:27:54
Speaker
and And the housekeeper was like, ah so I start with the living room or the kitchen first. And her response was, I'm not a doctor and kept straight walking past her. So I can explain myself. A lot housekeepers are you from Ukraine.
00:28:08
Speaker
And here, people speak Russian. There is a huge community of Russian speakers because of communism and because of the vague the wave of immigration. So if you're
Influence of Strong Female Role Models
00:28:20
Speaker
from Ukraine, you can meet, I would say...
00:28:23
Speaker
Three out of five people who speak fluently Ukrainian or Russian because grandma is from Russia or they're Ukrainians themselves or they study, you know, Russian. And you're the fifth person. So easy peasy, lemon squeezy.
00:28:39
Speaker
That lady on the phone, she spoke shit. but very limited. And she spoke Russian. So when you live here, yes garu paruski i speak a little bit of Russian. So I spoke with her, the limited of Czech, Russian and you.
00:28:53
Speaker
And I heard the word appointment. I have an appointment with you. And I understood i have a clinic appointment with a doctor with you. And I said, I'm not a doctor. I'm French.
00:29:07
Speaker
The poor woman, she's like, I'm just here to mop your floor. What the fuck? Sorry, ma'am. Apparently, she sent me an SMS and she's like, hello, I'm the cleaning lady.
00:29:18
Speaker
What floor are you? We have an appointment at 10 a.m. And I'm like, oh, no. I forget. That's okay. And that means one thing, 18-year-old Emily knows that she's not a doctor.
00:29:33
Speaker
And the same time, 18-year-old Emily knows that you are now affluent enough to have a own cleaning lady. Yes. You have a housekeeper to come. You're so rich. You must be so rich.
00:29:46
Speaker
Yeah. See, richy rich. And you you do all of this and you are going through what is your goal? Do you still want that bed and breakfast?
00:30:00
Speaker
Definitely. Definitely. I want a bed and breakfast and this is my fantasy. I'm 50, 55 years old I'm Madame. Everybody called me Madame, Madame, Madame, Madame.
00:30:13
Speaker
And I'm known on the street like, oh, this is Madame Delphi. Madame Delphi is French. She traveled around the world. She went to different places. She speaks different language. And if you want a job, she's going to help you out to find a job, to help you with your internship, to give you a chance.
00:30:32
Speaker
You need money? Go to her. She has a place for you. You need a place to stay? Go. Your son has autism and can't find an internship? Talk to her. A brother has autism. You know what I mean? She gives chance to everyone, but you need to work.
00:30:47
Speaker
She's like, Baba Yaga. I want to be a Baba Yaga. If you work for me, I will be your best friend. If you're lazy, I'm going to kill you. I'm joking, but you see what I mean? i'm Thankfully, one of us not that lazy.
00:31:04
Speaker
That makes interesting. I think the first whatever week or whatever we met, you know it was the... mud I made a story out of it, Madame.
00:31:17
Speaker
Madame, Madame, Madame, Madame. So it's actually pretty important to you. i know how important that is to you because I have that background with you. But why is it important? like Tell why is it important to you to be called Madame and what does it mean to you?
00:31:33
Speaker
ah come from north of France. And when you have a certain age, everybody called you Madame.
Advice to the Younger Generation
00:31:40
Speaker
Originally, we used to call young women Mademoiselle before they get married.
00:31:45
Speaker
So from the age of, I would say, four years old till 25 years old, everybody called you mademoiselle by default. Once you turn 25, it's Catherineette.
00:31:57
Speaker
You're either single or married. It's a French tradition. So past 25 people start to call you by default madame because, or you have the question mademoiselle madame.
00:32:10
Speaker
So it was a general thing. Also, a thing of respect, when I used to go to work, it would be like, ma petite mademoiselle, my little my little mademoiselle, my little miss. Little miss, can I have a coffee? Little miss, can you show me so Mr. Dupré the meeting room? Little miss. And it would put you down. So when you try to get a job, when you get when you want to get a promotion, when you want to take to be taken seriously, ma petite mademoiselle,
00:32:40
Speaker
And it puts you down immediately. In Germany, I didn't have this problem. It's Frau Delphi. They call you Herr or Frau Delphi. Monsieur, Madame. Boom. There is no Mademoiselle. It's sexist.
00:32:53
Speaker
I met some French people in Australia and they told me, you're not allowed anymore to say Mademoiselle. It's Madame. But for me, being called Madame, it's you're married, you have kids, you passed a certain age, you lived. There is a respect. And back in my village, they were...
00:33:10
Speaker
Madame Lefebvre, who owned a pub. Madame Sackbande, who was an excellent excellentent teacher and babysitter. Madame Saffaire was a fantastic gardener. She had beautiful flowers in her background. And she owned a home house at 70 years old.
00:33:29
Speaker
And she had a lot, a lot of garden. So a lot of territory. A lot of women with amazing story like Madame Lefebvre, she was a butcher wife and she owned her own, you know, a butcher. We have the right French woman to get an account and to open a business without the signature of our partner since 1965, the year my mother was born.
00:33:57
Speaker
Cool. And my grandmother, Marie-Louise. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Madame Le Grand. No, no, wait. What year was your mother born? 1965. You're killing You're fucking killing me. doesn't my mom It's okay. Just 10 years.
00:34:14
Speaker
It's okay. She can be your big sister. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, so you can own her. So you had a lot of this as a role model then. Growing up, you saw all these role models in in your small town.
00:34:27
Speaker
Correct, yes. And they're all Madame. And this woman lived during the Second World War. war I want to repeat. This woman lived during the Second World War in the no-go zone. France was cut in three.
00:34:40
Speaker
My zone was a no-go zone. Bombarded, full of German, not far away from England. V1, guys. Then you have under Paris, here, cut in the middle.
00:34:53
Speaker
the occupied, and under the prison, Vichy. And these people on the north, they saw a lot of things. They saw a lot of things.
00:35:04
Speaker
And I heard stories and everything, and I had the chance to meet women who lived during the First World War, Second World War, were adults, teenagers, who didn't have the right to vote, who didn't have the right to have...
00:35:19
Speaker
a bank account without the knowledge of the father, of the husband. And when I hear all these rapids saying, women are not supposed to work. Listen to the elders. Listen to the elders.
00:35:31
Speaker
We always worked. We just didn't have the right to get your money, right? So seeing all this Madame, Madame Lefebvre, Madame Saffaire, Madame Sacklebord, and a long list of Madame, and Madame Le Grand, my grandmother. Madame Butterfly?
00:35:46
Speaker
Madame Butterfly? No, no Madame Balfrey. Madame Delphi, it's my mother, and I am now Madame Delphi. That was one of my biggest pride. You have no idea. We have in our hometown circle of people I would say are intellectual. The mayor, you know, the priors, schoolteacher, etc. When my schoolteacher a journalist of La Voix d'une heure who know me since I'm a kid...
00:36:17
Speaker
When they contacted me to congratulate me, they called me Madame Delphi for the first time. Madame Delphi. Madame Delphi. was like proud like you cannot imagine.
00:36:29
Speaker
So that goes a long way with you on everything else you've done. And I think that brings it back to my next question then. What would you give younger, and I mean like 12
Reflecting on Achievements and Future Hopes
00:36:40
Speaker
year old or below, what advice would you give to younger you? It's hard question, ain't it?
00:36:48
Speaker
Oh, was happy as a child. I was happy in this bed and breakfast. So a woulds I would say to dream. Don't stop dreaming.
00:36:59
Speaker
Dream. Like when you talk to the new generation, they don't have dreams. They're really pessimists. They're very negative. You know, dream. You need to dream. You need to have a place, a space to dream.
00:37:14
Speaker
Read books, dream, daydream. If I learn English, it's because I had a very romantic view about England. I want to have my bed and breakfast in England. I would marry my Englishman. I would have an English bulldog. ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha You know, like very, very romanticized. Then I grew up.
00:37:35
Speaker
I met all these people. I realized if you speak English and French, you can meet a lot of people. I started to learn German to earn money, of course, and diversify it.
00:37:46
Speaker
I would rather prefer give a good advice to people who are aged between, i would say, 15 and 25 years old. Because that's a moment where all the dream goes to to toilet. When you're like, oh, it's really hard. Like you've got a lot of, it's really hard to find your work. It's really hard to... When you look for work for the first time, people don't take you very seriously.
00:38:15
Speaker
And it's okay. You just need to start with a simple job. It's okay to work at McDonald's. It's okay to work as a health teacher. It's okay to clean toilets. It's okay to to be a little kid.
00:38:31
Speaker
It's okay to be a dish pig. Look at your money, save your money and finance. Money is important. You need to finance, you need to invest, you need to save money, and you need to go to work with an idea.
00:38:45
Speaker
I want to work as a dish pig because I need too money to buy my car. dish I need a car because I need to travel or etc. Go to work with a goal. Don't go to work because you need to go to work.
00:38:57
Speaker
It's the beginning of the end. And it's going to be okay. Slowly, slowly, you're going to meet people. You can start as a beach dish pig, meet somebody who is a cook, and then apply to another hotel, and that cook knows you.
00:39:12
Speaker
And they know you want to be a receptionist and like, hey, I know Amélie. She worked for six months for such and such restaurant. She was never late. She is not a drunk. She's always on time. She finished very late.
00:39:24
Speaker
She's a hard worker. I think you should give her a go, you know. And you go to the interview and they're like, okay, I met Philippe, who is a cook. He talked greatly about you.
00:39:37
Speaker
So we're going to give you a try. Okay. Somebody is sick for two weeks, come and work for two weeks with us. And that's how you do. Networking is very important, guys. Networking is very important. Even if you don't like your job and something's bad happen, make friends around, network. LinkedIn, etc. Keep contact, etc. etc And help each other. If you know someone wants a very specific job, don't hesitate to go to your manager and say, hey, I know a girl. Her name is Sylvie. She works as an accountant in Zash and Zash company. She's looking for a new job. Would you like to give her a chance?
00:40:12
Speaker
They like that. Somebody who can give someone a little bit of help. Help each other. Start very small. Be patient. You're young. You've got time. And with money, don't spend your money.
00:40:24
Speaker
How many times I saw people working in South of France earning fuck ton of money don't have to pay for the for for the bed, right? And they spend everything in drugs, in nightclub, in stupid thing. No. Save the money.
00:40:42
Speaker
Finance. Yeah, I think that's wise and that's good advice for any any age, really. and We had this conversation before. like what do i know I talk about VR games and like no I can't buy it. I can buy it. I just don't want it to spend that money. I'd rather spend it on like better food.
00:40:59
Speaker
Correct. you know you want you You have the thing where you have to always invest. You always have to have something to fall back on and stuff like that. You just can't like spend all your dough with it. what happens then like it's it's miserable then you know and i think a lot of people are going for the quick fix of the like oh my god the the drug oh my god the the nightclub oh my god but that that's fleeting and at the same time you know most of them they've got credit cards or special bank when you finish ah your study and you start to work you can't pay back like i'm going to tell you how many times
00:41:34
Speaker
I met people who were crying in their bed and like, oh, that life is shit. I live in a bunk bed. I'm a dish pig and I'm wet and sweaty. I didn't have a lot of tips, blah, blah, blah, blah. And such and such took my girlfriend because he has a lot of money.
00:41:49
Speaker
Five, 10 years later, they bankrupt. And the guy owned his own restaurant or just opened his own bakery, you know, and buy his own house. It's okay.
00:42:01
Speaker
It kind of goes that way. And in the end, it is okay. And one day, one day, i do believe you will find your bed and breakfast in the English countryside. Oh, the London side. Oh, the seaside. Oh, Wales, honestly. Maybe Wales.
00:42:18
Speaker
The question was really interesting, and I want to point it out because it's very important, I think, for people who are between 18 to 25 years old. I always knew what I wanted. I always repeated to you over and over again what I wanted. What's my dream? What's my project? Which country I want to visit next? Where do I want to work? Why? Reason, et cetera.
00:42:39
Speaker
Every job I did, there were reasons. There were date, et cetera. And two weeks ago, you asked me, where do you want your bed and breakfast? And I looked at you and I'm like, I don't know.
00:42:53
Speaker
Do you want in Asia? Do you want in Australia? Do you want in America? Do you want in in France? Do you want in Europe? Do you want to go back to France? baba but but but but but but ba but And I looked at you and I'm like, I don't know.
00:43:04
Speaker
vi No. I don't know. no I don't know. I really don't know. Because it's not a question of money.
00:43:15
Speaker
It's not a question of help. It's a question of heart. What do you want next, Amélie? So what's next? You know, like a lot of people are excited to talk to me, you know, because I'm a good conversationalist and I have an extraordinary life, you know.
00:43:29
Speaker
And they're always like, okay, what's next? So I'm going to Germany. Okay, what's next? And I'm going to Prague. Okay, what's next? I'm going to Australia. I want to see the outback. Okay, what's next? I'm going to Asia through the Middle East and Europe. And then I will have babies. Okay, what's next? I'm pregnant with triplets. Okay, what's next? Now I need to teach them how to cook because I want them to know how to cook and to work with me in my bed and breakfast.
00:43:52
Speaker
And where is this going to be the bed and breakfast? I don't know. but no I don't know. What do you want? I want my kids to know how to cook. I want to be a cook. I want to be known for my cooking. Yes, I want to cook. I want to cook me pies. I know.
00:44:10
Speaker
And it's really funny because barber I'm 35 years old and I had everything I ever wanted except the bed and breakfast, but it's okay. it's going It's coming. It's coming. It's coming. Right? Right. um I walk.
00:44:26
Speaker
with a guy called Peter, who is in Prague. He's the owner of Arroyostel. have five minutes from the clock tower. Beautiful hostel for people who are aged between 18 to 35 years old. I would advise you to go on the internet and type Arroyostel. Fantastic place.
00:44:47
Speaker
And this man gave me a look on the backstage of being the owner of the hostel, showed me the water, the The situation of that guy asked me for money now because he's got some issue with that. That girl, I need to fire her. i have some issue with ah ah the landlord because they don't own the building. They rent the building. And sometimes there is a problem with inheritance or such.
00:45:13
Speaker
um When you need to select an alcohol, you need to have a certain... tax on it, etc. And I learned so much. It was so exciting. You know, it's not just here's your key. This is a bed. You know, it's you you need to face issue with, for example, the ratings on booking.com and you learn so much, etc. So is that's the life I want. And I know one day I will own my bed and breakfast. I don't know how my bed and breakfast is going to look like, but I know have an idea, right?
00:45:43
Speaker
But sometimes you don't know. You just don't know. I don't know. So now I'm an adult. I'm 35 years old. have everything I found. I don't know. And that's great. I really don't know because i have the life I want. I'm speaking English. I'm friends with you. You're my best friend.
00:45:59
Speaker
I have three fantastic kids. I want them to grow and to learn their own language, French, English, etc. I just have the life I wanted. so I'm going to surf on it. I don't know. but And that's a great thing.
00:46:11
Speaker
And if you want more, but I don't know, you're going to have to watch our streaming demons for last week because there's going to be a lot of I don't know's in that one. But I want to thank you all on behalf of myself and Amelie, as we can say in business. don't know.
00:46:28
Speaker
Bye, everyone. Bye.