Jérôme Bergami
Writer and speaker, president of the association La Terre en Marche
I was born on the 4th of July in Saint-Maur-des-Fosses. Once I had my high school diploma, I started studying Modern Letters and left for Brittany, my mother's native region. I was seeking my identity. I then rebuilt myself through poetry and published two poetry books that marked this intense period of my life. Brittany was to be the land of my rediscovering, the land of my retrieval. I started writing my first novel "Ci-gît l’Innocence". Once I finished it, I felt appeased with my roots. I was then able to move away from this land that had been so generous to me.
I had been interested in Eastern Europe for several years - the peoples, the history, the evolution. I visited Armenia, Romania, Bulgaria, ex-Yougoslavia, Albania and a second book was born from this travel - "J’aimerais tant rebrousser chemin".
My life path got another direction when I joined an NGO: I left for teaching French in Alexandria, having in mind to write a book of exploration of the Egyptian society. The novel "L'Imposteur d'Alexandrie" is the result of this experience. Between 2007 and 2012 I write a lot - fiction books (inspired from my life and the different jobs that I took - window cleaner, seasonal worker, sales assistant in a sex-shop, mortuary officer, nurse's aid) and travelogues (a long trip to Asia, from Russia to India; a trip to Kosovo and Albania; a trip to French Guyana, on the steps of the Wayana Indians).
I explore the world in an attempt to understand it: I choose to work in various professional fields in order to better grasp the realities and the issues of the society I am living in. In a word: to witness. The idea to accomplish a walk where I exchange Earth in sign of peace comes from the way I perceive the world. I feel now that besides witnessing it's high time for me to share.
Sabina Bergami
Translator and speaker, cofounder of the association La Terre en Marche
Born in Toplita this town surrounded by mountains iin Romania, I grew up close to the nature and its benefits. My mother, a primary school teacher and my father, a railway transport agent, open up my way to voyage when I was very young. I owe them the taste for discovery and learning, two qualities that take root in my childhood.
Curious and sociable, I reach out to others, ask questions and take a real interest in their story as I believe that every life story is enriching. Everyone has something to say, to share, to teach the others, from the shepherd in the snowy mountains to the dressed to his nines business man.
For me, this walk will also be a way to explore myself. This thurst for meaning that I have always felt could finally be quenched. It is important to have the will to take the time and have the courage to face up to oneself. Since it makes us go slowly and by means of consequence be more lucid, the trip on foot is a marvelous occasion to discover: the others and oneself.
Today I am a nurse's aid, a deeply human profession where selflessness and listening to the others are essential. Helping, sharing, empathy and humanitude are values that I cherrish and I also want to transmit all along our long walk.
Our Story
Formation
2010 – 2011 Diplôme d’État d’aide-soignant à l’IFSI de la Robertsau, Strasbourg
2002 – 2003 Licence de Breton et Civilisation celtique, Université Haute-Bretagne, Rennes
1997 – 1998 Maîtrise de Lettres Modernes, Université Victor Segalen, Brest
Expérience professionnelle
2016-2020 Conférencier La Terre en Marche
2013 - 2014 Création de l’Association La Terre en Marche, Président
Aide-soignant Brest, Toulouse en Agence d’intérim
2012 – 2013 Préparateur de commandes, Usine Bosch, Saint-Thégonnec.
2011- 2012 Aide-soignant en Service de Stérilisation aux Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg (HUS)
Agent mortuaire au Service Funéraire des HUS, Strasbourg
2007 – 2008 Vendeur-animateur au Club 88, sex-shop, Paris.
2007 Vendeur–magasinier, Magasin de jouets Pintel, Paris
2005 – 2006 Professeur de français au Collège Saint-Marc d’Alexandrie, Egypte
2000 - 2003 Chroniqueur littéraire pour la radio Arvorig FM, les journaux Breizh Info et Le progrès de Cornouaille
1996 – 2000 Surveillant aux : Collège «4 Moulins » Brest, collège Diwan de Carhaix, Collège et Lycée Professionnel de Plouhinec, Collège Les Hautes Ourmes, Rennes
Langues
Anglais, breton, roumain,
Notions d’allemand, de turc, de russe, de géorgien, d’italien
Travaux littéraires et journalistiques
2020 En cours de publication La Terre en Marche 2 - Chroniques d'Afrique.
2017 Publication de La Terre en Marche - De Venise jusqu'en Chine, 6000 km à pied le long de la route de la Soie
2016 Publication de Trois fois feu – Récit de voyage en Asie ( Collection Récit de voyage La Terre en Marche)
2015 Création de la Collection « Récit de Voyage » au profit de l’Association La Terre en Marche. Publication de trois ouvrages :J’aimerais tant rebrousser chemin, Traces, L’Appétit des mangroves.
2012 Auto-édition du roman Ci-gît l’Innocence.
2009 Publication du roman L’imposteur d’Alexandrie aux Éditions Michèle, Paris.
2007 Publication du roman J’aimerais tant rebrousser chemin aux Éditions Bibliophane, Paris (1ère édition)
2002 –2003 Chroniques littéraires en langue bretonne sur les ondes d’Arvorig FM
2001 –2002 Création du fanzine Camisole
1997 Récitals dans le Finistère au sein du groupe Quimper est Poésie.
Autoédition du recueil de poésie Triade.
1997–2002 Chroniques culturelles apour les hebdomadaires Le Progrès de Cornouaille et Breizh Info.
1996 Autoédition du recueil de poésie Chair terre.
1995 –2000 Publication de poèmes dans les revues Quimper est poésie, Spered gouezh, La Barbacane.
Voyages et littérature
2019 Éthiopie, Tanzanie, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibie - 2300 km à pied, en famille, avec ma fille de deux ans sur le dos. Livre La Terre en Marche 2 - Chroniques d'Afrique.
2014 – 2016 Deux ans de marche le long de la Via Egnatia et de la Route de la Soie - de Venise jusqu’à Kashgar (en cours). Livre La terre en Marche 1.
2012 Guyane française : sur les traces des amérindiens Wayanas. Récit de voyage L’Appétit des mangroves.
2008 -2009 Voyage à travers l’Asie : Russie, Mongolie, Chine, Laos, Thaïlande, Inde, Bangladesh, Philippines – Récit Trois Fois Feu.
2006 Voyage en Albanie-Kosovo. Récit de voyage Traces.
2005 – 2006 Égypte. Professeur de français à Alexandrie dans le cadre d’une mission humanitaire au sein de la DCC (Délégation Catholique pour la Coopération) - rédaction de L’imposteur d’Alexandrie.
2003 Voyage en Roumanie, Bulgarie, Bosnie-Herzégovine. Récit de voyage J’aimerais tant rebrousser chemin.
2001 Voyage en Arménie (Vingt poèmes en auto-stop, recueil non paru)
Expérience professionnelle
Association La Terre en Marche - secrétaire/trésorier (2013)
Aide-Soignante CHU et EHPAD, Toulouse (2013)
EHPAD St. Vincent Lannouchen, Landivisiau (2012)
Hôpital de Hautepierre Strasbourg (2011-2012)
Traduction/Assistanat Autoentrepreneur traduction Belmont, Alsace (2009-2010)
Traductions BASIC 2000, Cergy (2008)
Assistante de direction TAAA, R. TAILLIBERT, Paris (2007)
Traduction/Assistanat Secretaire-Traductrice Collège Juridique Franco-Roumain d’Études Européennes de Bucarest et Bibliothèque Française de Droit (2004-2005)
Traductrice Freelance, Toplita, Roumanie (2004-2007)
Assistante de Direction, AC-TE, créateur de didacticiels Brasov, Roumanie (2001)
Professeur Lycée OCT, Toplita, Roumanie (2003-2004)
anglais/français Ecole n°8 Miron Cristea, Toplita, Roumanie (1997-1998)
Formation
Aide-soignante DEAS, IFAS du GHCA de Colmar (2010-2011)
Traductrice Licence/Certificat de Méthodologie de la Traduction français/roumain ESIT, Paris 3 Sorbonne Nouvelle (2007-2008)
Enseignant Module de psychopédagogie Université Transylvanie de Brasov, Roumanie (2003)
Traductrice Maîtrise de Langues Etrangères Appliquées, TRADUCTION Français/Anglais/Roumain, Université Transylvanie de Brasov, Roumanie (1998-2002)
Langues
Parlé, Ecrit : Roumain, Français, Anglais
Ecrit : Espagnol, Italien
Notions Allemand, Hongrois, Turc, Farsi, Russe, géorgien
Voyages
Albanie, Allemagne, Arménie, Bangladesh, Chine, Egypte, Géorgie, Grèce, Guyane Française, Hongrie, Inde, Iran, Italie, Kirghizistan, Laos, Mongolie, Ouzbékistan, Russie, Thaïlande, Turkménistan, Turquie
Expériences diverses
Hôtesse d’Accueil Fédération de Gymnastique Suédoise, Strasbourg (2010-2012)
Brittany - Transylvania, 2004
But where did the two meet?
- Somewhere up there in the Carpathians. He had left on the steps of a Romanian writer, she was teaching French and English in her town surrounded by mountains.
- Did they instantly fall in love?
- Oh, no! First they recognized each other - the same daydreamer's look in the eyes, the same savage freedom in their hearts. And there were many comes and goes between Brest and Bucharest! At this stage of their love story, they said distance brought them together. They wrote each other a lot. But the next year came Egypt and Alexandria. Jerome signed in as a teacher in an NGO.
- What did she do?
- What do you think she did? She went to meet him, but it was only for Christmas.
- Christmas only?
- Yes. Because they felt then that in time distance would inavoidably separate them. But they took a decision: pack up and take a flight, destination Romania! There they lived in the grandmother's house. He wrote and she translated his work.
- And while you are at it, they got married too.
- Oh, no! Not that fast, not that simple. First, they returned to France, not easy again: their trips had exhausted them, they didn't know where they were headed, they had doubts about themselves and their future together. The break-up came as a stroke. She came back home alone.
- Hideous! Was that the end?
- Oh, no, please, wait a moment. There was too much love between them. Their destinies could not part, impossible: he asked her to marry him!
- While they were separated?
- Precisely.
- And what did she do?
- What do you think she did? She accepted to come back to him. And they set the date to celebrate their marriage in a nice city of Brittany .
- And they had a lot of children.
- Not really. Back to France and married they needed to act, to find an axis, a direction. "Let's go to Paris, she said, I will finish my translation studies there". So they took their backpacks and won Paris.
- But it was only for a while, isn't it? I'm beginning to understand better.
He told him "I'm OK with Paris, but after, we'll start our journey for the Unknown, the Faraway!" Thousands of kilometers came: Russia, Mongolia, China, India, Bangladesh. An immense thirst of encounters and new horizons. A year of breathtaking travels.
- Your couple is dazzling me. I'm afraid I'm losing track.
- A little more patience, please. I give you a short preview of their coming back home: there was Alsacia, first in a small mountain village, then Strasbourg. There a nurse's aid course and a job at the hospital.
- Finally settled down now!...
- That's what you think!
- Don't tell me they started all over again!
- He dreamt to see the jungle for once in a lifetime: see the jungle.
- There's TV for that...
- He proposed her to go seek a job in French Guyana, along the river, in the clinics and dispensaries.
- Tell me, your guy seems to be crazy! As for her, nothing surprises me anymore. I'm sure I know what she did. You're telling me they are happily living ever since nesting in the canopee?
- No, she couldn't stand having left their home in France, having lost her marks, he didn't want to abandon that quickly. Their couple was once again on the verge of separating. Overwrought, she told him he had to choose: "It's either Guyana or it's me!. You have the choice."
- And he chose...
- He chose to leave of course.
- Obviously. And the story is over.
- Almost: once off the plane in Paris, Guyana was still on their minds, like a sob in their throats. They needed to cry. It took them a month to walk by foot from Paris to Brest. A long sorrow that became a long meditation along the way. It's while trekking that grew up in them the desire to accomplish a great march for the peace.
Their project becomes clearer. They create their association called "La Terre en Marche". They both work as nurse's aids and save money every month. They start to look for external financial support so as to have a sufficient budget.
- It is a good thing to meet institutions and enterprises, to want to convince, to unite people around a project. They really involve in their action. We trust them, we'll follow them.
- They really hope so. That is why Jerome and Sabina are knocking at your door today.
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