I’m
from Grapevine, Texas and transferred to AUP my junior year
in college. At the time, a girlfriend of mine was studying
at the Alliance Française and knew that I was hoping to
transfer to a university in Europe. I had visited London
once and didn’t feel as if it was much different from the
States, so I was considering Italy, France or Switzerland.
One day, I received a package in the mail from my friend.
She had enclosed a brochure from AUP with a note saying that
she knew this is where I should be. My heart jumped when I
looked over the photos and read about the Comparative
Literature program. I wanted to be one of those students
discussing Proust on the grass at Invalides, or Hemingway at
the Deux Magots. I spoke no French and had never been to
Paris, yet it felt right.
When I arrived in Paris – no home, no friends, no job,
and little cash – I felt elated, excited and optimistic. I
was 22 and on my own for the first time in my life, and was
open to experiencing something new and fresh. That’s exactly
what Paris was. I was in a strange, new city with a
different culture, and yet AUP gave me a foundation of
familiarity since it was my school and gave me purpose and a
sense of responsibility for my own path. I wrote for the
[student newspaper] The Planet and also participated in the
Beckett Project. Professor Gunn’s love of all things Beckett
was contagious and I wanted to be part of something bigger
than us all – uncovering hidden facts about Beckett’s
Parisian life. I loved writing and exploring Paris and
investigating current topics and events.
The faculty at AUP is amazing and probably one of the
best things about the institution. They quickly understand
your strengths and help you overcome your weaknesses, and
are incredible mentors to look up to. The small, intimate
classes are key to AUP's success. Students form personal
bonds with AUP professors, and a decade later I still call
many of them my friends.
I would describe the AUP classroom experience as unique
and invaluable. AUP professors are masters of their subjects
and truly love what they teach – it’s part of their essence
and is not just a job but a passion – and it shows. There
was never a question faculty couldn’t answer without
firsthand knowledge and experience. That is what I feel is
rare about AUP – that your professors have lived what they
teach, not just read about it. Their quest for knowledge and
openness to learn and grow is a great example to the
students they teach.
I had not met many foreigners, especially from the Middle
East, before moving to Paris. One memory for me that stands
out: I was in Paris during the Bosnian war and was touched
to see Croatian, Bosnian and Czech students hanging out
laughing together. It made me realize that people are alike
everywhere and that AUP was a place where race, nationality,
color, and religion were equal.
I’ve worked at Google for the past seven years and
believe that part of my success is due to the multicultural
environment I lived in at AUP. You learn to adapt, be
flexible and open to change. The only thing certain in life
is change, and it’s fun to be exposed to different
experiences and fresh new perspectives. In the seven years
I’ve been at Google, I’ve had four different roles. My
current role as video producer is my dream job. I produce,
direct and edit internal marketing videos for Google and
YouTube. It’s exciting because I get to work on the latest
technology and research and explore new creative ways to
make videos.
AUP is what you choose to make of it. There’s an endless
possibility of cultural experience among the students and
faculty. The commonalities are freedom from cultural
stereotypes, a love of exploration into what life has to
offer in a vibrant historic city, and openness to learning.
Before I moved to Paris in 1994, I had only traveled abroad
once (to London). Since then I’ve been all over Europe, to
Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Iceland, Turkey, Lebanon, and
Mexico – and can’t get enough! |
