About GetAlsaced.com: Who is Suzele?

First off, I'm not Alsatian...

But I'm married to one!

And I live with and around them, work with them, go out to dinner with them, celebrate holidays with them and everything in between.

I speak French pretty well, High German ok, Alsatian much better than German, and Swiss-German much better than German.

Of course, languages are always a work in progress.

The ones I use the most, progress the fastest which is why High German isn't progressing much. I just don't need it as much as Swiss-German and Alsatian.

Like I said earlier...

I'm not from here, but I was destined to come here.

Sure, anyone could say that...

But I have proof!

I've studied French since the 3rd grade (9 years old). And yes, it's my favorite foreign language (and no I still don't speak it like a native, but I'm working on it).

That makes me a Francophile at least.

But I also fell in love with the German language at college.

I liked it so much I combined it with French and graduated with a French/German Bachelor of Arts degree (and a degree in Fine Arts too).

Now there are only 2 places in the world (Alsace and Switzerland) where that sort of foreign language education is useful. So, you know everyone told me it was a dumb idea to get a degree like that!

And I, of course, believed them.

And went on my merry way, finding careers in other fields (like a lot of people in the US).

And then this French guy shows up in the US and sweeps me off my feet and takes me back to France (and you know I was "kicking and screaming" the whole way ;)

Where does he live?

Where does he take me?

Alsace and not just Alsace. Alsace right next to Switzerland! The only 2 places where my degree is useful!

I was meant to be here!

About GetAlsaced.com: What I Love about Alsace

I guess you could just call me a big "fan" of Alsace.

Although that may be an understatement.

I've always been a bit of a history geek, so I'm fascinated with history (and culture and language and human behavior and...and...)

But dates and names (in my opinion) are boring.

I want to know more.

That's where my fascination with Alsace began.

I would go somewhere, anywhere, in Alsace. Pick up a "guide book", look around, educate myself about the village or historical site.

But something was missing...

I couldn't find any "guide books" with more information, particularly in English.

So, I started researching it myself.

I looked in French and English books. I started finding more.

And it just kept getting more and more interesting.

And then when I went back to that village or historical site in Alsace (or any of the others I've already been to). There was a huge difference in my experience.

I recognized names of people.

I knew who they were and what they did.

I understood the purpose of seemingly unimportant things (and the important ones too).

Basically history came to life!

And I fell in love.

Of course, that was just the beginning. I've had plenty of moments like that since then...on different aspects of Alsace (the language, the customs, the food, the wine, etc...)

About GetAlsaced.com: Why Did I Create This Website?

As you already know, I've done a lot of research on Alsace for my own pleasure.

But I got to thinking...

• There are a lot of English speaking people who might want to venture outside of Paris and see the villages. Let's face it. The rest of France is just as great as Paris.

• It's a somewhat scary proposition if you don't speak much French. Who are you going to ask directions from?

• It would be a lot of fun to write down everything I know about Alsace. I love to write (and draw and take photos)!

• It would be even more fun helping other people discover how cool it is here!

So, that's what I'm doing...

Go from "About Get Alsaced.com" to "Ask a Question about Alsace" if you have some questions for me or just want to read about what everyone has asked...

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