International Languages and Cultures: E-commerce in France

by Brian Cotlove (Political Science major and French Studies minor - ’05)

I came to UP expecting only to take the required two years of foreign language courses. I chose French because I had taken a few classes in high school, but needed to start back at 101 because my level was not good at all. I can’t describe to you my surprise when I sat in Madame Booth’s class the first day. How can she be so energetic? Can she possibly be this enthusiastic every single class? But these questions could easily be answered by saying that Madame Booth is passionate about two things: French and teaching. 

It truly was Madame Booth that inspired me to love the French language and culture. Her endless energy and passionate enthusiasm left me no choice but to take French class every semester. Not only that, but she encouraged me to go beyond just the required class work and to study abroad in Paris which was an unforgettable experience. Madame Booth also encouraged me to stop by her office after class to improve my spoken French. It was in those many “office hours” visits and one on one attention where my skills truly improved. 

I moved to France in 2006 to work as an English assistant at a French high school in Aix-en-Provence. I loved it so much that I decided to stay after the year was over. In 2007, I launched the French version PostSecret, a popular art blog where individuals send in a secret on a handmade postcard. The experience has been truly amazing and what I have learned from my French professors at UP has been indispensable. I have done several radio, newspaper, and TV interviews in France to promote the site and I correspond daily with visitors and fans of the site. I also work part-time doing translations for various businesses and e-commerce websites.