Meet a Colleague: Paul Moreaux Paul Moreaux serves as a French world language teaching assistant.

W&L News Office
December 17, 2024

Q. How long have you worked at W&L?
I have been working at W&L for about three months now.

Q. What courses are you teaching this term?
This term, I am assisting French classes from beginner level to advanced.

Q. What is the most satisfying aspect of teaching?
My favorite aspect of teaching is the discussion tables. In small groups of 3-5 students, it is much easier to create bonds and talk about meaningful things. It is awesome for drawing links between the American way of life and French culture.

Q. What do you like most about working at W&L?
Having an office! It is the first time I have an office and it is a pleasure. Also, the university’s beauty and resources make me extremely productive. I’d say that it is what I like most, being able to exploit 100% of my potential with hard work.

Q. What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not working?
Reading and drinking coffee. I really enjoy reading and drinking coffee. I also go to the gym on a day-to-day basis so either I eat or I work out.

Q. Where did you grow up?
I grew up in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, a small town in the South of France (the most beautiful region there). Others call it la Petite Venise de France (The little Venice of France). It has gotten its nickname from the fact that it looks like a small island because it is surrounded by the Sorgue river. Almost my whole family lives there and it never disappoints. It is also the hometown of Renaud, a very famous French singer which I sometimes see at the Bouchon bar.

Q. Who inspired you to teach? What about them inspired you?
Interestingly, I was never inspired to teach by a former professor or teacher. The person who inspired me the most to go on that path is my cousin, Thomas, with whom I am very close. Thomas is an extremely inspirational and resilient person. In fact, he was the one who guided me toward my B.A., in which I succeeded and later was selected to the Fulbright program. He is a real example for me and I am happy to be so well surrounded. By the way, he now teaches in London, in his favorite country, perfecting his British accent.

Q. What is the most adventurous thing that you have ever done?
The most adventurous thing I have ever done was to go to Los Angeles, alone, more than two years ago. To explain, I was starting to really like my “American Civilization” course and decided that I would go to the U.S myself for a month to experience the American way of life firsthand. So that is what I did. I saved up money and quit all my jobs to get to the U.S for a month, alone, with a 9 hours time gap with France. It was my first time abroad for so long. I had some amazing and bad experiences but I came back with a completely different perspective. Surfing was adventurous as well there, it was clearly not my thing.

Q. What is the website you visit most often and why?
Youtube by far. Youtube is and has always been my number one website I visit on a daily basis. I use it mainly to get the news, both in the U.S and in France and learn things about the world and its mechanisms. That is probably why I do not feel guilty watching Youtube because all the content I consume is related to my field of study! I also sometimes watch more lightheaded things like humoristic videos (mostly Mister V or le Woop) to get a good laugh!

Q. If you could live anywhere, where would you build your dream home?
I have never really pondered on that question but I would say that the first thing that comes to mind would be Sarasota, Florida. I have so many good memories with my girlfriend and this city has a vibe which I really love. The temperature too is ideal. As for the recurring hurricanes, they would have to just stop.

Q. What is your favorite movie (film) of all-time?
The Great Gatsby. And it is also my favorite book by the way. This movie really is something. Once again: a romantic/impossible love story and I am French, so it makes sense. Other than that, the setting, music and actors are amazing.

Q. What is your desert island food?
Fried gnocchis – grated Emmental – roti de mamie (my grandma’s roast beef). I would eat every single day even without being stranded on an island.

Q. Tell us something most people don’t know about you.
Before I started my B.A. in English and Anglophone culture, my main activity was: being a Youtuber. In fact, during my late middle school years throughout my high school years, I became (objectively) very good at freestyle scootering and I started doing videos about it with a group of friends. My channel grew and grew and grew to a point that I had about 20 thousand subscribers, a sponsor and partnerships with brands for promoting their products in my videos. This is one of my most amazing anecdotes: back in the days, there was an app, namely Musically, which was rebranding into another that people most certainly know: Tiktok. I received an email from this app to create about six 30 second videos on their platform. It took me about five minutes to do so and I was paid for it!

Q. What is your secret talent?
My secret talent might have faded a little bit now but as I said I was very good at freestyle scootering. One of my best tricks was a double backflip which I could land on the first try in the last months of my practice. It really is a secret talent because I had no coach or anything to teach me. I learned on my own, with my friends and some tricks really were so scary that it really just turned into a battle with my own mind. I remember staring at the ramp waiting for a window to make sure to fully send a trick and make sure that I would not “half-send” it which could be very dangerous. My dislocated collar bone can tell.