Claire Maryniak

The Class of 2002's favorite Francophile fills us in on her cross-cultural adventures.

Questions

Favorite High School Memory: I loved the trip to Nice and Paris some of us took in the summer of 2001. Being in such a beautiful setting while feeling out my foreign language and culture skills really brought me into myself as a human being.

Favorite High School Class: French with Madame Luerding, of course! Her zaniness and compassion made an important impact on my life. As for one single course, Humanities with Ms. Peters was one of the most enriching classes I've taken at any level of education.

Favorite High School Activity: It's a tricky toss-up between the Latin Club Saturnalia parties and working stage crew in the drama program. How many times in life do you get to Shipoopi and run followspot?

In high school, I'd spend my weekends: playing a joyful unskilled brand of rock'n'roll with Kate (Browne) Kort and Ingelise Leung (and before that with Sarah and Jenny Herard) or else hoping that Mrs. See (Craig's mom) was making roast beef. Her roast is the one to which I still aspire.

In 2010, I spend my weekends: catching up on housework, visiting with friends and recharging my batteries after the always-packed weeks.

Anything else to add about Lafayette or the Class of 2002?
I think we were an unusual bunch in terms of our collection of talents and our cohesiveness after graduation. We're one of the first generations of graduates to have a native command of e-mail and social networking tools, and I think that has resulted in a peculiar camaraderie; we certainly weren't all close in high school, but now that we have a tool that connects us day to day I think we mostly do care for (or at least about) each other.

What She's Up to Now:
After graduating from Truman State in 2006 with a BA in French (minors in English Linguistics and Translation), Claire spent a year in Nîmes, France, teaching English in a primary school. In September 2007 she moved up to Montreal (Quebec) to pursue an MA in Translation Studies at Concordia University. Almost three years later, she's totally in love with Montreal. Through her work as an assistant to wild and crazy luthier Wolf Kater building ukuleles and a pipe organ, she got a job with SouthWest United Church and Mission working as their office coordinator and manager for the breakfast club at Verdun Elementary School. Claire has always loved working with children and working with food, so she said being part of the club des petits déjeuners du Québec is a truly joyful experience! In April 2009 Claire met Phil, the handsome, compassionate, pun-loving man of her dreams, and they've made a home together when not too busy making goofy schmoopy faces at one another. All the while Claire's still eking out her Master's thesis and planning a November 2010 graduation (phew)! And Amir, if you're reading this, Claire wants you to know she is still using the French cookbook you gave her on her 16th birthday!