Bordeaux & Basque Country: Wine & Culture
Taste Bordeaux wines, Basque flavors, and seaside beauty from France to Spain.
Taste Bordeaux wines, Basque flavors, and seaside beauty from France to Spain.
Day 1: Depart U.S. for Bordeaux, France
Day 2: Bordeaux
Day 3: Bordeaux
Day 4: Saint-Émilion
Day 5: Arcachon Bay
Day 6: Bayonne | Biarritz | San Sebastián, Spain
Day 7: San Sebastián
Day 8: Bilbao
Day 9: Laguardia
Day 10: San Sebastián
Day 11: Bilbao | Depart for U.S.
As a linguist, my primary interests are phonetics and phonology, though I also specialize in dialects and Creole languages. I currently use my linguistic and language skills to teach at UM-Flint. Outside of my work in the Department of Language and Communication, I thrive in creating dynamic, immersive courses that take students outside the classroom. One such course, funded through the Mellon Foundation, Vehicles of Upheaval, took students on a 10-day bus trip retracing the routes of the Great Migration. As a Wyatt Exploration Fellow in 2025, I led a group of students to Cuba to explore the island through the course, Revolution and Resilience.
The Basque language, a linguistic mystery and a story of resilience of spirit, is what excites me most about this trip. It is often referred to as the oldest language in Europe, though this is hard to quantify. What is certain, however, is that it is unrelated to any other language. Tragically, speaking Basque and even using Basque names were forbidden for decades under the rule of Francisco Franco. Yet the language survived. As a linguist who values all languages and supports language preservation efforts, hearing Basque spoken in its homeland and engaging with Basque speakers to hear their stories is such an incredible experience. Of course, I also really love bold, red wines.
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