Get to know our members

Rachel Lim Roger

I was born in Singapore, and before coming to France, I was working as an Administration Executive for a French manufacturing company in Singapore. Having only summer season in Singapore (apart from the monsoon period at the end of the year), we enjoyed loads of activities from yoga, roller blading, diving, golf lessons, etc.

I met my husband - Philippe – (who is French/grown up in Strasbourg) while on a diving trip in Malaysia in 2001. He was working in Singapore as a Purchasing Director since 2000.

Thereafter we got married on 28th December 2002 in Bretagne.

It all happened very suddenly and very fast when Philippe got a new job in the south of France; working as a Project Director to co-ordinate the building of the golf resort for the Four Seasons Hotel in Fayence. It had been exactly 1 year, since we arrived in France on 22nd March 2004.

Coming to France was a big challenge for me, apart from the different culture; I do not speak a word of French. Upon arrival, I enrolled at the international college in Cannes for a 1 month intensive course. Not too long, I met a fellow Singaporean – Stephanie who told me about the Commonwealth Club, which I joined very soon. The 1st event was the 1st anniversary dinner. It was an enjoyable evening with great food and new friends, both being very important for us!

We looked forward for many more gatherings to come.
Rachel ROGER

THE COLLINGRIDGE FAMILY

A Place to Call Home

Edwin Collingridge was born an Englishman but raised a South African. It was in Cape Town that he and Sally first met in 1984, when she was in her final year of high school and he was working as a graphic artist for an advertising agency. Soon after, Edwin left the country to pursue a sailing career and Sally left to visit her father in Western Canada, where she ended up staying and becoming a citizen. They lost touch and didn't see each other for nearly 6 years. 

During this time, Edwin went home to study Architecture, but once he'd finished, his love of the ocean got the better of him and he made plans to set sail yet again. Before he left, however, he found a Christmas card from Sally in the pile at his parents' home and decided to write to her. They corresponded for a while and Edwin convinced her to apply for a job on the yacht on which he was working. She flew to the States and took up the position on a trial basis and on the condition that Edwin had no ulterior motives in getting her the job! The rest, as they say is history………..

For the following 10 years, they worked on different boats in the Caribbean, USA, Europe and the Mediterranean, Tunisia and Turkey. They were married in 1993 and Christopher was born in Newport, Rhode Island, USA in 1998. When he was five months old they set up home in Turkey for 2 years to oversee the construction of a new boat for their boss at the time. After the completion of the project, they ended up back in the States, where Edwin enrolled in an intensive year long course in Yacht Design in Maine. Zoë was born in June 2002 (the week her father graduated as a Yacht Designer) and a month later Edwin landed in the South of France to start work for a firm of Naval Architects in Antibes. The rest of the family joined him in September of the same year.

The first year was quite an adjustment for the whole family, but it has now been over two years and the Collingridges are fairly well settled. Christopher attends the local primary school and Zoë the garderie, so both are virtually bilingual. Sally is now working full-time for a marketing firm and is enjoying the challenge of learning a new job and improving her French in the workplace. Edwin manages to get out on the water to race fairly regularly and enjoys popping down to the pub to watch rugby when the Springboks are playing. And of course, they try to take part in as many Commonwealth Club events as possible! Perhaps they have finally found a place to call home. 

The Cooper Family

Andrew Cooper (37) was born to a French mother (originally from Menton) and an English father. Grew up in Shropshire, England, spending all his school summer holidays with his grand parents and family in Menton and from an early age was dreaming of moving there one day.

He studied French, German and business at Edinburgh University, and then went on to gain Charted Accountancy qualifications. This led to a variety of jobs, taking him to London, Paris and Kiet in Germany and Birmingham where on the 27th of August 2002, he met Kerry Nightingale (of similar age)! born near Birmingham. Kerry was then Area Manager for the Fashion Company, Monsoon Accessarize, having covered Scotland and living in Edinburgh for 3 years, before returning nearer to family and covering the Midlands area.

Within 6 months of meeting Kerry, Andrew was offered the position of Director General for Sunterra France, a part of the American Sunterra Leisure Company, at Sophia Antipolis.

Andrew asked Kerry to live with him in France, but she had to give 12 weeks notice to her employers, who agreed that Kerry work a four day week so that she could travel to France to join Andrew during weekends!

However on St.Valentine's evening 2003, Andrew proposed and it soon became obvious that a part time arrangement wouldn't work, so Kerry gave up her career and joined Andrew permanently in June 2003.

On September 27th 2003 (13 months to the day of their first meeting) Kerry and Andrew were married at the English Church in Menton, the same Church where Andrew had been christened. The reception was held in the beautiful village of St.Agnes, which enjoys spectacular views over Menton.

On August 18th 2004, Kerry and Andrew introduced to the world the first "Commonwealth Baby" son and heir, Felix Andrew, who took everyone by surprise, arriving two and a half weeks early, weighing 2 kgs 900 grms and measuring 46 cms and according to Andrew, with his father's good looks!!!

Kerry and Andrew celebrated two years of meeting on August 27th 2004 and along with buying a villa in Menton (to be near Andrew's family), it has been a pretty eventful 24 months for the Coopers!

Felix, the new "mini cooper" looks forward to saying hello and meeting the members of the Club at the Asian Food Festival in September!

Felix Cooper, our first Commonwealth Club baby, born 18th August 2004, weighing 2.9 kg and measuring 46 cm! The proud parents are our Hon. Auditor Andrew Cooper and Committee member Kerry Cooper.

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The Ganter Family: From Australia to France and a baby due in 4 months!

That’s right; Katherine and Richard arrived in France in February 2003, expecting their first child. On the 17th June 2003, Yelena Jaenne Margueritte Ganter was born in Nice, Lanval Hospital.

“Being first time parents is always a new experience, however arriving in a
different culture, no family support and very little command of the French
language just added to our challenge”, says Katherine. “We were however very
appreciative of the help and support we received from members of Richard’s company.

In fact, having a baby in France has assisted us in increasing our
vocabulary of the French language, we are also very pleased with the French medical system.”

Prior to their arrival in France, Richard and Katherine lived in Sydney, in a town called Balmoral, and will one day return.

Richard was the Human Resources Director and had accepted a Corporate Human Resource Management role with the same company in France for a period of 3 years. His scope of responsibility covers Australia, France and the UK. He has a Masters Degree in Commerce and has been employed in the field of Human Resource Management for the last 17 years. “The opportunity to live and work overseas is invaluable and is providing me with a more global perspective on business operations.”

Katherine is an Organisational Psychologist with a Masters degree in Psychology. Her consulting work has focused primarily on Coaching, Psychometric Assessment and Out Placement /Career Transition Consulting. She also has a great interest in many psychologically associated expatriation issues.

Katherine, Yelena and Richard are thoroughly enjoying their time in France and are sure that they will look back at this experience as something never to forget. “We enjoy the French way of life, the food, culture, people and the opportunity to visit new places and learn a new language”.

“The Commonwealth Club, is a tremendous initiative and we are very lucky to have become associated with other members.”

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Kate Foster

Kate, Briony & Heather, July 2003

Texas is part of the Commonwealth? you ask. At least, you might ask that when you hear the accent of one of the charter members of the CCR, our Newsletter Editor, Kate Foster. 

Of course the answer is "No". Nevertheless, Kate does carry an American passport from having lived many years in Texas, but she was born in England and retains her British passport. Though she comes from an entirely British born family, world travels and international work are also part of her heritage. 

Her maternal grandfather was in the merchant marines and a paternal uncle was a decorated RAF pilot during WWII. When she was very young, Kate's father was away in the oil fields of the Middle East searching for petroleum, but then when she was 10 years old, he accepted an office job with an American company. That was when the family emigrated to the U.S. 

In due course, Kate married a native Texan and they had two beautiful Texas born daughters, Heather now nearly 24 years old, and Briony who is 20. Kate stopped working to stay home and raise her children, which worked out well since her husband was taken into the international division of his company. The family lived in Egypt, Belgium, South Korea, Turkey and Israel. 

Kate, Bastille Day July 2005

Unfortunately, just as Kate's daughters went off to university, her marriage ended. So after many years, Kate found herself with no family to manage and needing to work to support herself. 

She had long held a dream of living in France. That, combined with a taste for warm weather and beautiful scenery, prompted her to try living on the Côte d'Azur.

In August 2003, in the middle of the terrible heat wave, she landed in Nice with one suitcase full of clothes and her laptop computer. She had never visited the south of France, knew nobody here, had no work, had a hire car for one month and a hotel room for one week. She immediately got busy meeting people, making friends and establishing possible business contacts. In short, she started building a network! 

It was not easy getting established. After creating a social group for Anglo speakers, changing accommodations a couple of times, and working as an independent technical writing contractor, she settled into a job of just over a year in Monaco and an apartment in Beausoleil overlooking both the principality and the sea. 

 

Kate says that joining the Commonwealth Club of the Riviera, working on the committee, and having the friendship and support of the club members played a big part in helping her build her new life in France. 

Kate's friends and family say that knowing her relieves them of ever needing to watch soap operas, as Kate provides all the vicarious entertainment one could need. Stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

 

Kate, Briony & Heather, Christmas in Monaco 2004