When movers move | Olivier Ravon
Gosselin employees who are also expats
Coincidence or not? Many of Gosselin’s employees also happen to be expats who have seen a considerable part of the world during their travels. An interview with Olivier Ravon about living, quality of life and finding happiness in France and Romania.
Olivier Ravon moved from France to Romania
Olivier is group sales director at Gosselin. “I was born and raised in the Bordeaux region in France,” he tells us. “I have moved a lot since my childhood. As a child, I lived in different cities in France such as Nice, Toulouse and Paris. I spent three years studying in London, and I have been living in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, since 2004.”
What is the biggest difference between Bordeaux and Bucharest?
“Bordeaux is a city with a population of half a million people. Bucharest has two million residents, 15% of the total population of Romania. It wasn’t really all that long ago that Romania was ruled by the dictator Ceausescu. After he was deposed in 1990 and the country gained membership in the European Union, Romania has undergone an unusually rapid evolution. The economy is growing at 5 or 6% a year, and there are a lot of employment opportunities. Each time I walk through the city, I see new buildings and infrastructure projects popping up. Bucharest is one of the fastest changing cities in Europe.”
How long did it take for your new house to feel like a home?
“That happened pretty fast actually. The first two months, I lived in a furnished apartment. Once my own furniture and books arrived, it started to feel like home. I learned the language fairly quickly since it is a Romance language that is related to French. Besides, most people in Bucharest speak English pretty well. Finally, people here are very open, and it’s easy to make friends.”
What does quality of life mean to you?
“For me, quality of life means the right balance between what it costs to live somewhere and the quality that this environment offers. Bucharest offers everything I need in a city: culture, great bars and restaurants, concerts, freedom of speech and the love of books. Unlike what people might think, Bucharest is a very safe city. If my wife goes to the movies in the evening, I do not worry for a second. This would probably not be the case in most European capitals.”
About Gosselin Mobility
Gosselin Mobility is a leading provider of international moving and relocation services. Our clients are multinationals, relocation management companies, expats, diplomats, military personnel and private persons. Gosselin Mobility has 56 offices in 34 countries and has a strong presence in Europe, Eastern Europe, Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Gosselin Mobility is a division of the Gosselin Group that has its headquarters in Antwerp, Belgium. The company was founded in 1930 and employs 800 co-workers that generate more than 300 million euro in turnover.
