Anne-Marie Harrison

I have been lecturing on ships for well over 25 years, during which time one went from slide carousels to AI! The presentation techniques have changed but the aim is the same: make the itinerary as interesting as possible by providing background information that will help passengers appreciate the various stopovers. I am French, studied English at the Sorbonne and went to Exeter University for a year where I met my husband. I taught both French and English for a few years and then the family relocated to Asia for 16 years because of my husband’s work. This period opened my eyes to the joy of discovering new civilisations and travelling. I learnt some of the local languages, taught English in the Vietnamese refugee camp in Singapore, ran a charity project in the slums of Bangkok, and created a guiding programme for the Ayala Museum in Manila. I also studied to become a docent in the museums of these countries, which led to my being invited to lecture on cruise ships in Indonesia. On returning to France, I obtained an MA in Anthropology from the Sorbonne and continued lecturing on English-speaking ships. My style of presentation proved popular, and I was asked to prepare European itineraries, which helped me widen my repertoire. In 2014, I stated working for Ponant and so, have the double pleasure of helping passengers “join the dots” in French and in English! I have also published a book on the life of Buddha and a guide to the Shwedagon pagoda in Myanmar.

Language spoken: French, English

 

Photo credit: ARR