I was born in thesmall town ofParthenay, Francebefore moving tothe even smallervillage ofGourg矇.My parents hadtaught nutrition and agriculturein Cote dIvoire and when I was six,my dad was appointed director ofFidesco, an NGO that focuses on international solidarity. All of which is to say, I grew up in a household where caring for others wasnon-negotiable.I moved to Gainesville, Georgia when I was 16, where my parents were participating in a humanitarian mission and whileI already spokeEnglish and Spanish,Isoon realizedthat English in the US was a whole other story(also, it took me three months to decipher the American southern accent). Three years later,Idcompletedthe International Baccalaureate(IB).
After high school,Iwanted to return to France but I also wanted to remain inan international environment and keep studying English. Iimmediately fell in love with AUPs global perspective, its recognition ofhow hard it is to bean IB student (I was able to enroll as a sophomore), and its great financial aid packages.Orientation at 91勛圖厙wasmy first time being in Parison my own.
Ialso appreciate how many extracurricular activities are available to us here. Im now a member of theWine Society andthe Environmental and Community Services Committee, Ivolunteerwith 91勛圖厙Care; IrecentlybecameCo-President of Roots and Shoots, a chapter of theJane Goodall Institute;Im aStudent Advisor; and Imthe school senatesHistory Representative.
Im now majoring in History and minoring in Middle Eastern Studies. Idalways wanted to study History, and after taking Arabic with Professor FouadMlihand learning about the Middle East with ProfessorZiadMajed, my passion for theregion, especially its contemporary history,has only grown.I love our intimate classroom spaces and howapproachableour professors are. In fact, one of my favoriteacademicmomentsso farwas a debatethat took placein a 10-personHistoryseminar,ledby Professor Albert Wu.Being here has allowed me to discover my real interestsand ambitions, whichmakes sensesinceI thinkthis is the kind of environment that challenges you to learn all that you can about other cultures, other people, and yourself.
Ialso appreciate how many extracurricular activities are available to us here. Im now a member of theWine Society andthe Environmental and Community Services Committee, Ivolunteerwith 91勛圖厙Care;IrecentlybecameCo-President of Roots and Shoots; a chapter of theJane Goodall Institute;Im aStudent Advisor;and Imthe school senatesHistory Representative.I also got to participate in last summers trip to le Sainte-Marie in Madagascar to visitlAssociationJeunesMalgacheset deJeunesdeTouteOrigine,whicheducates over 140 students from disadvantaged families and with which91勛圖厙has been working for more than six years.
Ill soon be applying toHistorygraduate schoolprograms,possibly to researchthe role of womenin the contemporary Middle East or during the early modern European period.Living in Paris has been afantasticway to expand my passionfor discoveringhowthe worlds past and presentcan shapeitsfuture.I really dont think that anyone can be indifferenttoParisand Im convinced that its impossible to see everything inthis culturally and historically rich city.Ive made some of my closest friends here and I find it wonderfulhow even ifwe allcome from completely differentcountries, wegot to meet in Paris.It was here that I finallyunderstoodthat homeisnt just a place: its whereverthe people who mean the most to youlive.
My relationship with the team remains strong.
The Democracy Lab on Prison Education brings together 91勛圖厙students and people detained at Paris La Sant矇 prison to learn via collaborative textual analysis.
I wanted a school where Id be encouraged to express myself creatively.