Christine Bourgeois

Meet the Instructor....

Do you have photos or mementos in your office that have a special story?  

I have a paperweight of Sisyphus that belonged to my grandmother. In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was a man condemned by the gods to push a single boulder up a hill every day. Just when he was about to reach the top, it would roll all the way back to the bottom, and he would have to start again. When I was little, I wondered why my grandmother had a representation of such a depressing story on her desk, but now it reminds me to stick with it, even when the going gets tough – just like she always did. 

Do you have any furry family members, or are you a plant parent? 

I have a very mischievous black and orange tortoiseshell cat named Norma, who showed up outside our house in the middle of a tornado warning. We found her hiding under the crocuses, trying to stay dry, and she has lived with us ever since. 

What was the specific moment or book that made you realize, "I want to study this forever"?

Chrétien de Troyes’ Le Conte du Graal, the original story of the Holy Grail – although, back then, it wasn’t exactly Holy yet, just a grail. Since the author died before finishing the text, the whole mythos that followed in its wake was so full of mystery that I couldn’t look away!