Sometimes it takes a hit Broadway musical to remind Americans of their history. Thanks to the popularity of Hamilton, the important role of France in the history of the United States is remembered. Without the financial support of France and leaders such as the Marquis de Lafayette, we might not have broken free from England. Yet most people cannot name the country that gave us the Statue of Liberty. So I am devoting this column to our great ally and will highlight classmates who call France home or have studied or lived there.

Alex Blumrosen holds the class record for the longest tenure in France. After double-majoring in French and government and completing a master’s in French studies at NYU and a J.D. at Georgetown, Alex moved in 1989 to Paris, where he has lived ever since. He obtained a graduate law degree from the Sorbonne and works for a French law firm. Alex writes, “After almost 30 years in Paris I have yet to become immune to the beauty and majesty of the city, the gorgeous Haussmannian architecture, the lovely parks, the endless museums—I can walk to the office in about 30 minutes from our small town next to the Bois de Boulogne.”

Craig Bradley has resided in France for a decade. He lives in St. Germain-en-Laye, about 15 kilometers west of Paris. Craig works for the Aga Khan Development Network building boarding schools for gifted and talented girls and boys of all backgrounds in diverse countries in the developing world. Craig credits professors Henry Buckley and John Rassias with sparking his interest in French and France. Craig participated in the language study abroad (LSA) in Blois in 1980 with Professor Rassias.

Matt Yee is also a proud “Rassias Raiter.” Matt and his husband, Paul, visit Sean Burke and his husband, Alberto, in Paris almost every year. Sean and Alberto live in the Marais. Matt writes about his LSA experience, “Biking in from Ville Barou to Blois each day gave me a taste of the joy of biking I still have this day.”

David Plekenpol participated in LSA in 1979 in Bourges. In 2001 David moved to Scotland and ended up with a weekly commute from Edinburgh to Paris for four years, staying at the Hotel Clos de Medici near the Jardin du Luxembourg while working for Alcatel Optronics.

Mark Cormier’s favorite French tale is mistaking “la bidet pour la toilette.” I remember that too. Tim Geibel wanted to know if eating French fries counts.

My own favorite French story is when my best friend Tony (Pasol) Campbell participated in the foreign study program in Toulouse and lived with Famille Roy. When they heard that I would be traveling from Germany to Spain the following term, they insisted I stop in Toulouse to visit them even though I did not speak a word of French and they spoke no English. I spent a wonderful weekend communicating with my hands and my high school Latin. Famille Roy would be happy to know that I have been taking French for three years now and can now carry on a simple conversation. Vive la France!

—David Eichman, 9004 Wonderland Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046; dme4law@sbcglobal.net; Robin Shaffert, 5044 Macomb St., NW, Washington, DC 20016; robinshaffert@yahoo.com