Ever wonder what it's truly like to grow up in two languages, seeing the world through dual cultural lenses? Olivier's journey from bilingual childhood to linguistics advisor offers a fascinating window into how our earliest experiences shape our life's purpose.
Raised in a deliberately bilingual household—his father speaking exclusively French, his mother English—Olivier developed not just language fluidity but a unique perspective that would eventually guide his career path. His childhood memories of believing Disney movies were French productions until confronted by American kindergarteners highlight the beautiful confusion and richness of straddling two linguistic worlds. This foundation gave him special insight into the nature of language itself, eventually drawing him toward linguistics despite an initial detour into computer science.
The conversation takes us through Olivier's educational journey at UCSD, where he discovered that following his natural talents in linguistics provided greater fulfillment than pursuing more lucrative paths. Now advising linguistics students and helping them navigate their academic journeys, he's found profound meaning in guiding others. His powerful observation that "to spend half your life doing something that doesn't sit well with you is not a life well spent" encapsulates a philosophy that prioritizes purpose over profit.
But Olivier's story doesn't end with linguistics. His spiritual journey from Protestant upbringing through atheism to Catholicism reveals how powerful experiences in France—particularly in ancient churches with diverse congregations—transformed his worldview. This spiritual awakening parallels his recent passion for labor organizing and workers' rights, culminating in plans to attend law school for labor law. Throughout these evolutions, his bilingual foundation provides unique perspectives on cultural differences in work-life balance, dining customs, and approaches to leisure between America and France.
Tune in to discover how embracing your natural abilities—whether linguistic talents or other innate gifts—can lead to a life of meaning and impact that transcends conventional measures of success.

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