Meet Amy Harlowe

We love our members! In fact, we love them so much that we want you to get to know them and share in our community. In this series, Member Spotlight, the French Library introduces you to a member via our blog. This edition we are featuring Amy Harlowe, member who loves French literature and has a soft spot for the Vendée! Read on to learn more about Amy...

What is your connection to the French language and/or francophone culture?

French language and Francophone culture has long been an important part of my life. I started taking French as a child; growing up in the Boston area I appreciated being able to drive with my family up to Quebec. Throughout school I continued studying French, until college where I had the opportunity to study abroad in Paris. I really enjoyed the program I was part of where we were able to explore the history, society, and art of regions in French West Africa.

After I graduated from college, I did the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF) in an amazing and welcoming community in the Vendée. Being back in Boston, I relish engaging with French with the French Library.  Knowing French has allowed me to explore new literature but also other languages that share linguistic similarities.

"The Center really finds great and creative ways to engage with those who make use of it."

Why did you decide to become a member of the French Library?

I have been a member of the French Library for several years. When I returned from France after college, I was a member of the Center for a year, and I joined again in 2019 when I returned Boston from graduate school in Norway.

What do you like about being a member at the Center? Do you have any favorite classes or events that you have participated in?

I always look forward to the variety of events and activities that the Center has to offer. In the past, I attended some of the book discussion groups at the library.  I appreciate how these give the opportunity to find the library books and engage with French literature. I also find the Alors.... conversation group to be a fantastic way to practice French and get to know the other members from the Center. Both in person surrounded by the library books but also virtually with the enjoyable prompts and breakout rooms this has been great fun. In pre-Covid times I also really have enjoyed going to the Christmas market and seeing the Center beautifully decorated and volunteering for Bastille Day. On Bastille Day, it was exciting to see the street filled with food, people, and music. The Center really finds great and creative ways to engage with those who make use of it.

If you could travel to any Francophone country, what would it be and why?

This is such a great question and I feel I would want to go to so many Francophone countries. Close by, I always enjoy heading up and spending time in Quebec. I also would love to go back to France and see my friends in the town where I worked in the Vendée.

Further in the world, another place that really intrigues me to travel to is Morocco. Finally, having learnt and gotten to know several people from Senegal, I think that traveling there could also a be an amazing experience. I hope that these and many more adventures will be once again on my travel plans.

Interested in sharing your story or becoming a member?

Contact our Membership Manager, Natalie Collet, at ncollet@frenchlibrary.org.

Check out our other member profiles here.