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. Every month, the French Library will introduce you to a member via our blog. This month we are featuring Kristin Lacroix, a member of our Center and avid volunteer who loves our library and classes. Read on to learn more about Kristin...
Interested in being featured? Let us know! Interested in being a member and all the fun perks that come with membership? We would love to have you! Contact Membership Manager Natalie Collet at ncollet@frenchlibrary.org or call 617-912-0400.
What I absolutely enjoy the most about being a member is volunteering at the Center’s events! I am a big proponent of the Center’s mission to support growth of the French language and francophone cultures. Volunteering is a great opportunity to participate in and contribute to the success of the cultural events that are part of that mission. Through volunteering I’ve also been able to learn the ins and outs of the Center’s operations and to get to know the amazing staff. The Members' Holiday Party event probably ranks as my favorite volunteer time to date. The ballroom was packed, the music was great, and the food was crêpes. I unexpectedly had to learn on the spot to pour and flip using a traditional crêpe pan and tools (merci Pierre-Antoine) and spent the evening turning crepes for hungry members!
Between taking classes and volunteering, I’ve had the opportunity to meet some wonderful staff, teachers, fellow members and classmates. A core group of us has been working its way through the B1 accelerated series with our teacher Rafik Taileb. We started together in January and when the summer session starts in June we’ll be ready to move on to the B2 series! Rafik is a super prof and with all of us spending 6 hours a week together for almost 6 months, I feel like we’ve become a small family.
Interested in being featured? Let us know! Interested in being a member and all the fun perks that come with membership? We would love to have you! Contact Membership Manager Natalie Collet at ncollet@frenchlibrary.org or call 617-912-0400.
"Volunteering is a great opportunity to participate in and contribute to the success of the cultural events that are part of that mission. Through volunteering I’ve also been able to learn the ins and outs of the Center’s operations and to get to know the amazing staff."
What is your connection to the French language and/or francophone culture?
My heritage is my connection to the francophone world. My family’s origins are in France and Québec and we are all extremely proud of our French roots. Through study and travel, I’ve developed my own appreciation of the Francophonie. I studied French language and literature for ten years in school and have continued off and on as an adult. I still love to read French novels and I’m focusing on improving my comprehension and developing my conversational abilities.Why did you decide to become a member of the French Library?
I’ve been a member of the Cultural Center for about two years, but I also belonged to the French Library in the late 90s and early 2000s. I decided to join for a variety of reasons – to support the Center and its mission; to take advantage of the library and all the on-line learning tools available to members; and for access to the member events. I recently moved from the suburbs to downtown Boston. One of the big factors in my decision to relocate was the desire to become a more fully involved member of the Cultural Center rather than just an occasional visitor.What do you like about being a member at the Center? Do you have any favorite classes or events that you have participated in?
As a member, I like the feeling that I’m part of Boston’s francophone community and I try to take advantage of everything that the Center has to offer. I’ve found that the cultural events are a great window into aspects of francophone culture that I might not otherwise have considered – for example the presentation of the history and struggle of Haitian artists.Between taking classes and volunteering, I’ve had the opportunity to meet some wonderful staff, teachers, fellow members and classmates. A core group of us has been working its way through the B1 accelerated series with our teacher Rafik Taileb. We started together in January and when the summer session starts in June we’ll be ready to move on to the B2 series! Rafik is a super prof and with all of us spending 6 hours a week together for almost 6 months, I feel like we’ve become a small family.
If you could travel to any francophone country, what would it be and why?
France is always my first choice when picking a francophone – in fact any – travel destination. My best vacation memories are from visits with French friends living in the vicinity of Nîmes and Montpellier. I love mornings on a café terrace, watching the world go by, while enjoying a traditional croissant and a bowl of café au lait.
Natalie Collet
Former Membership Manager
From the Midwest, Natalie is a Francophile at heart. Her interest in French started when studying ballet and the language and culture entranced her through her student years. She became involved with the - Alliance - in the suburbs of Chicago after she spent an unforgettable year teaching English in a French high school near Bordeaux. She is happy to join the team in Boston and work with the members to provide them with unique opportunities, quality programming, and a community through French!
