Erica Forster
Class: 2013
Graduated with French and Global Studies majors in 2013
Erica completed her Master's in French at San Francisco State in 2016 and taught FR201 at SSU in the fall of that year, while Professor Toczyski was on leave. She also worked for an international exchange student organization and tutored French. Erica says, "After graduating from Sonoma State, I knew I wanted to continue studying French.
After I earned my Master’s, I moved to France, where I worked as an intern for the French transportation company Keolis, before taking a full-time job as Operations Manager for The Tour Guy. Since I’m the only employee based in Paris, it’s intense --- we run guided tours of all the major tour sites in Paris (the Louvre, Versailles, etc.) as well as food tours. I hire and schedule tour guides, am in charge of ticketing and reservations with all major museums, and work frequently with restaurants to schedule food tours. I also schedule river cruises. I really like the job because you get to help people experience Paris, the number one most visited city in the world, and I get a lot of joy out of that.
Earning a degree in French at Sonoma State had an enormous impact on preparing me for higher education and the job world. While I was a graduate student, I used French on a daily basis in my classes and when teaching. I also regularly met French speakers in San Francisco and was able to create close friendships and professional connections because of my language skills. I now live in Paris and use French constantly, both personally and professionally.
Learning French has made me a more confident, outgoing individual. Thanks to my studies in French, I have been able to live abroad and learn about different cultures around the world. I have also been able to improve my writing, speaking, and general communication skills that will serve as an asset in any profession. I am grateful every day that I chose to study this amazing language and that I have the opportunity to share it with others through teaching and tutoring. I can’t imagine being the person I am today without French and my experiences with Suzanne and Christine at SSU! "