The New Year is long gone but a new season, full of new fun opportunities and activities, is upon us! Inspired by autumn’s arrival, I wanted to make a fall bucket list that deviated from the norm. A typical fall bucket list contains hunts for the best pumpkin spiced lattes, visits to local farms to pick out the perfect bag of apples, and trips to the mall (or your favorite online retailer) for the latest fall fashion. But not this one! Below is my French-themed (of course) bucket list and I plan to use the Center to make it happen.
I'm a total bookworm (rat de bibliothèque, en français) but usually default to reading in my native English. I'll read magazine and newspaper articles, watch films, and listen to music in French, but haven’t been great about picking up a French book. This fall that will change! I'm finally going to read a novel in French again and I've chosen Bonjour Tristesse, which has been recommended to me several times. If you're like me and want to explore getting back into French literature but don't know where to begin, don't hesitate to ask our trusted Library staff for recommendations or even check out the recommendations from all of our staff placed throughout the library.
The Center has so many great classes this fall and as a non-native French speaker, I'm always looking for ways to improve my French. I really want to improve my reading and writing with professional French so I was thrilled that the Center is offering a Corporate French class this fall. I look forward to learning how to perfect emails, write reports, and even dive into the technicalities of starting a business in France. Plus, if you're into business and want to learn more about what's happening in France related to that topic, check out our new Le Business Series, with topics ranging from startups and life sciences to cross-cultural work environments. Having personally worked with French and European colleagues, both in the US and abroad, I'm interested to hear what our guest speakers have to say about the differences between the two countries!
Looking for something else this fall? We've still got several language and grammar offerings, as well as other themed classes like the art of writing in French and DELF exam prep. And don't forget-if you want to practice your French in a relaxed environment, we are offering our Well Red series this fall. With a glass of wine and a snack in hand, you can speak with other Francophones in our beautiful library once a month. Our September session is already booked (get it?) but we still have opportunities on October 30, November 27, and December 11.
Playing games is a great way to practice your French in a light-hearted atmosphere. When I was in high school, and just beginning to learn French, my dad introduced me to the game Milles Bornes (which just happened to be sitting in our basement, waiting for someone to take its cards out of the box). I thought it was so cool that I knew the basic words on the cards, like pneu and essence, and I felt like I could finally start to practice my French outside of the classroom. As time went on and my skills improved I put my French to the test with Scrabble. This was more difficult than playing Milles Bornes but presented a welcome challenge. If you enjoy playing games and want to take it to the next level, why not join us for Bien Joué: French Game Night? You have to be a member (or a member's guest) to attend so don't forget to sign up for membership today!
One of the hallmarks of French culture is the omnipresence of wine, especially on the dinner table. And with the plethora of holidays and occasions that come with the fall, the wine will be flowing! The Center's fun, yet informative, wine tastings are some of our more popular events. Take advantage of these sought-after events to learn which wines you really like or which wines you should pair with that green bean casserole or pumpkin pie. I'm certainly no connoisseur of wine, so with our upcoming wine tastings I have no excuse not to learn more!
Et voilà ! My French-inspired Fall Bucket List. While I may not be happy to see summer go, I'm excited to try to accomplish all these goals. Tell me: what's on your fall bucket list?
I'm a total bookworm (rat de bibliothèque, en français) but usually default to reading in my native English. I'll read magazine and newspaper articles, watch films, and listen to music in French, but haven’t been great about picking up a French book. This fall that will change! I'm finally going to read a novel in French again and I've chosen Bonjour Tristesse, which has been recommended to me several times. If you're like me and want to explore getting back into French literature but don't know where to begin, don't hesitate to ask our trusted Library staff for recommendations or even check out the recommendations from all of our staff placed throughout the library.
The Center has so many great classes this fall and as a non-native French speaker, I'm always looking for ways to improve my French. I really want to improve my reading and writing with professional French so I was thrilled that the Center is offering a Corporate French class this fall. I look forward to learning how to perfect emails, write reports, and even dive into the technicalities of starting a business in France. Plus, if you're into business and want to learn more about what's happening in France related to that topic, check out our new Le Business Series, with topics ranging from startups and life sciences to cross-cultural work environments. Having personally worked with French and European colleagues, both in the US and abroad, I'm interested to hear what our guest speakers have to say about the differences between the two countries!Looking for something else this fall? We've still got several language and grammar offerings, as well as other themed classes like the art of writing in French and DELF exam prep. And don't forget-if you want to practice your French in a relaxed environment, we are offering our Well Red series this fall. With a glass of wine and a snack in hand, you can speak with other Francophones in our beautiful library once a month. Our September session is already booked (get it?) but we still have opportunities on October 30, November 27, and December 11.
Playing games is a great way to practice your French in a light-hearted atmosphere. When I was in high school, and just beginning to learn French, my dad introduced me to the game Milles Bornes (which just happened to be sitting in our basement, waiting for someone to take its cards out of the box). I thought it was so cool that I knew the basic words on the cards, like pneu and essence, and I felt like I could finally start to practice my French outside of the classroom. As time went on and my skills improved I put my French to the test with Scrabble. This was more difficult than playing Milles Bornes but presented a welcome challenge. If you enjoy playing games and want to take it to the next level, why not join us for Bien Joué: French Game Night? You have to be a member (or a member's guest) to attend so don't forget to sign up for membership today!
One of the hallmarks of French culture is the omnipresence of wine, especially on the dinner table. And with the plethora of holidays and occasions that come with the fall, the wine will be flowing! The Center's fun, yet informative, wine tastings are some of our more popular events. Take advantage of these sought-after events to learn which wines you really like or which wines you should pair with that green bean casserole or pumpkin pie. I'm certainly no connoisseur of wine, so with our upcoming wine tastings I have no excuse not to learn more!
Et voilà ! My French-inspired Fall Bucket List. While I may not be happy to see summer go, I'm excited to try to accomplish all these goals. Tell me: what's on your fall bucket list?
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!
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