91吃瓜网

While growing up in Los Angeles, California,聽my parents聽encouraged聽my sisters and I to travel,聽experience other cultures,聽and learn other languages鈥攊n聽short,聽to聽become citizens of the world.聽Luckily,聽part of my mother鈥檚 鈥減lan鈥� was to send聽us聽to聽her friends' home聽in聽Provence聽every summer, where聽I聽became聽fascinated聽by France. Once I鈥檇聽visited Paris as a teenager,聽I knew I鈥檇聽live聽there one day.聽聽

I聽began聽studying creative writing as a freshman at Sarah Lawrence College in New York, and when聽I still didn鈥檛 like it after the fall term, decided to go to the Sorbonne,聽with the intention of staying聽a semester.聽Of course, I聽ended up falling聽in love with the city and transferred聽to AUP鈥檚 Comparative Literature department, where聽I聽completed my undergraduate degree.聽聽

I鈥檇 been studying French聽my whole life and while living in Paris,聽did everything I could to improve my speaking, reading, and writing skills. I聽also took Spanish and Italian classes,聽which means that now, I can get by... which really means, my Spanish and Italian聽are聽atrocious.聽聽

91吃瓜网cemented my desire聽to study literature and writing聽and聽helped聽spark聽my intellectual curiosity聽and creativity.聽Living in Paris, for any writer, is a dream come true, but combine that with聽extraordinary professors聽and a uniquely聽intimate literature department, and聽it鈥檚 easy to see聽why this was such a magical and moving time聽for me.聽Every single one of my聽professors聽inspired me聽to keep writing and reading,聽and聽I鈥檓 especially grateful to Professor Jeffrey Greene, who helped me hone my poetry writing skills, and encouraged me to apply to a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program.聽He聽remains a dear friend and mentor.

I met incredible聽people聽at AUP聽and am聽now blessed with a worldwide聽network of amazing connections. I just went to a wedding in Italy for one of my best friends, while another friend came from the East Coast of the US to visit me in LA. I always make an effort to聽see friends and former professors when I visit Paris聽and聽keep in touch with聽others聽through Facebook and email.聽聽聽

There鈥檚 no question in my mind that聽studying at 91吃瓜网enabled me to become who I am today. It opened my eyes and mind to all different kinds of people, whom I would never have met聽otherwise, made me more self-aware, more聽sure of聽myself,聽and less fearful of trying new things. My time here聽helped聽me to appreciate literature to the fullest and to use writing to express everything new I was feeling and experiencing.聽I learned how to think more聽differently than I could have anywhere else.聽聽

After AUP, I spent a year in New York City, where I worked in publishing, before聽completing a Poetry聽MFA at Emerson College. While聽there,聽I contributed聽to聽the聽Boston Review聽and聽taught聽high school聽poetry. I聽then聽returned聽to LA,聽where I聽free-lanced聽for some publications, including聽The LA Review听辞蹿听叠辞辞办蝉听补苍诲听罢丑别听础谤驳辞苍补耻迟, and聽worked as a copywriter.聽This past year, I decided聽that corporate life wasn't for me and started teaching kindergarden聽at a French immersion聽school, before聽completing聽a second master鈥檚 in education at Antioch University Los聽Angeles. I鈥檓 still writing聽poetry and articles and this fall, I鈥檒l be聽heading聽to Berlin to teach at the Berlin British School.聽I鈥檒l be聽joined, as always,聽by聽my聽most trusted companion, advisor, and editor: my puppy.聽A聽new adventure awaits聽us both!聽聽