From insignificant moments to ones that have captured the world's attention, these are a range of essays exploring how another language shapes a world around and within.
Table of Contents
Ground Zero | Travel Essays | Language & Culture Essays
Click to jump to a series, or scroll through them below
Paris is Burning, Again
While growing up, my dad told me the side with the flying buttresses was his favorite side.
The Soul of Notre Dame
At 2 PM Eastern on December 7th, you may hear church bells tolling around the US. While no church is an island, they’ll be doing so in a gesture of unity for the cathedral that sits on one, Notre-Dame of Paris.
La Liberté éclairant le monde, Liberty Enlightening the World
Earlier in the year, I went to watch Folarin Balogun play in Ligue 1. I took a side trip to Monaco to watch him play against Angers SCO at Louis Stade II.
A Run Through the Pyramids at La Grande-Motte
Waterproofing is a nice concept until you begin to sous vide from underneath your poncho.
A Warm Meal Before the 2026 Olympics Closing Ceremony
“Is the taste good?” asked the man in Olympic gear as I was eating a bowl of polenta and pork.
A Motif Worth Repeating
Before hearing soprano Fatma Said sing Ravel’s Shéhérazade in Cleveland, I studied the French lyrics myself, a night two unfamiliar languages, French and music, converged.
Does French Know Ball?
Do you really know ball? Or French? From a Texas football Saturday to glottophobia laws, an essay on knowing, belonging, and the games we’re all playing.
Une Petite Laitue, A Little Big Scat
When Roy first came to France, he didn’t speak any French, but was forced to learn after moving into a neighborhood where nobody spoke English.
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