Schools
Globe-Trotting French Teacher Takes On Wild West
This is the first in a series about how Marblehead teachers and faculty will spend summer vacation.
French teacher Wendy Soucy has lived in many exciting and exotic destinations around the world. But this summer she's heading west to new territory: Yellowstone and Jackson Hole in Wyoming.
"My husband and I love to hike and have bought a new camera so hope to get some good photos of wildlife," Soucy said. "We like to get up with the sun when there's a better chance of seeing more animals and less tourists."
Relatively new to Marblehead, Soucy started teaching at the high school in 2007 and also took over as senior project coordinator this year.
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"I love the town and my job," she said. "I've felt at home here since day one."
Born and raised in England, Soucy learned French, German and Russian in middle school and high school. She worked summers as a nanny with a family in France, sparking her life-long passion for the language. The family -- with Soucy in tow --spent many summers in the Cevennes mountains in Southern France.
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She met her husband, who is from Maine, in Belgium. The couple moved to Poland, Ohio, Chicago and now New England.
Aside from her trip out west, Soucy hopes to get back to Paris this summer to visit the family for which she worked.
"I've been to the weddings of all three children and we Facebook -- even when one of them was sent to Afghanistan for a year."
She'll also hold weekly conversation classes for her students at her house. "We may watch French movies or try French foods, etc. It should be fun and hopefully will help them to not forget too much."
But it's not all jet-setting and creme brulee. The teacher will also take courses at Boston University and planning next year's exchange program between MHS and Marblehead's sister city Grasse, France.
Her advice for students this summer?
"Relax, have fun, sleep a lot and read."
Soucy shared her own summer reading list with us.
- The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean. "I'm reading it again, because I loved it."
- Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. "Because I want to see the movie, but like to read the book first."
- Unbowed by Wangari Matthai. "A phenomenal woman."
- Pride and Prejudice. "I love to catch up on some Jane Austen."
