Julien Picamil - Saveurs
I moved to Dartmouth straight from Geneva in 2005. My main aim was to learn the language but I have to admit I’ve always wanted to live in the
same country as the Queen – she rocks! I arrived in Dartmouth and started working for John Burton Race in the New Angel. I met my wife, Guylaine, in the first couple of years and we soon decided to go it alone and set up Saveurs – our traditional French boulangerie and pâtisserie.
This coming February we will have been open 10 years. Last July we opened our second branch in Totnes and that’s proving just as popular so now we’re considering shop number three! We have both worked in a lot of places around the world and Dartmouth is one of the smallest. I’ve got used to being part of a small community now and I actually get a bit scared going to a big city like Plymouth! We definitely call this home and have enjoyed setting up our lives here with our two children. The main thing I miss is my family who are still in France.
Aga Malec - Anzac Street Bistro
I came to Britain from North Poland about 11 years ago. My first job in England was working in
a restaurant in the Midlands but I missed the sea too much as my home city in Poland is
near the water. My partner and I visited friends in Dartmouth, saw the bistro was up for sale and we couldn’t resist. I’m pleased to put my stamp on the restaurant – our menu has a mediterranean feel with a Polish twist. Our Polish vodka is very popular, as is our Fasolka (a traditional bean and sausage stew).
Dartmouth is a much smaller community than I’m used to which has its ups and downs. There isn’t much nightlife! But there is a great atmosphere here - everyone looks out for each other and it’s lovely being close to beautiful countryside. I enjoy swimming at Sugary Cove despite the cold water! I used to swim in the warm Baltic Sea. The main thing I miss from home is the honesty - I think British people are great but too guarded. When you say ‘how are you?’ everyone always answers ‘fine’. Where I come from, you tell people what’s going on in your life whether it’s good or bad!
Thalie Anderson - Andersen’s Upholstery
In 1998 I swapped Cape Town in South Africa for London. But I didn’t stay long – it was too
busy and smelly! I had my eyes set on Dartmouth after visiting friends here. I moved to the town for a short time and then went to Wiltshire to do my upholstery training and I ended up working there for nearly 14 years. But I couldn’t stay away and, in 2014, I finally got my dream of opening an upholstery shop in the Market Square! I love it. There is enough space to do my work and people can visit me and see my pieces. My huge dog Otto likes it – he sits on the doormat watching everyone walk past! I
’m passionate about antiques and I tend to steer away from modern furniture if I can. I can recover chairs or completely rebuild a Chesterfield – no job is too big or too small. I couldn’t have done this job in South Africa as they see upholstery as unskilled labour. Over there antiques are thrown away or misused, whereas here people show them a great deal of care - British people are proud of their heritage. The main things I miss are the sunshine and the fried doughnuts!
Jo Byrne - Kingswear Post Office
I’m from the United States and I still have my accent! My hometown is Pennsylvania. I came
over here eight years ago after meeting my husband and business partner Jason in an online chat room. We struck up a great relationship and one day he asked if he could call me. I was unsure at first in case he was some kind of stalker! Luckily my friend convinced me because she wanted to hear his British accent. A decade later we are married and happily settled in Kingswear. We didn’t take over the shop and post office straight away, I worked in Sainsbury’s and Jason worked in the Brixham Spar and post office. But when this post office came up for sale we jumped at the chance.
Back home I used to install software for credit unions so that experience helped when we first set up. I have been totally accepted by the community here. If anything it helps that I have such a strong accent, as it’s a talking point for people when they first come in. It took me quite a while to sort out the language issues though; I would say things like sneakers instead of trainers, bathroom instead of toilet, sidewalk instead of pavement and get a few odd looks! I still have to really concentrate when I drive my scooter on the roads; I keep saying to myself ‘left, left’! The main things I miss are Philly cheesesteak, big malls, movie theatres just down the street and stores that are open ‘til 10 or 11 at night
First published By The Dart magazine July 2017
