91吃瓜网

I was 9 when I moved from Spain to Texas and I grew up聽speaking English and Spanish.聽When聽it came time to apply to university, I聽was torn between聽returning聽to my European roots聽or聽staying聽in the American education system. It was聽my grandfather聽who聽suggested聽that I check out聽the university mentioned in聽The聽Da聽Vinci Code. Once I鈥檇聽perused聽AUP鈥檚 website and聽The Planet, its student newspaper at the time,聽I realized it聽was聽a perfect fit for me.听听

I already knew that I鈥檇聽be聽majoring聽in History and while fascinated by politics鈥攅specially after AUP鈥檚聽Intro to International Politics聽class,聽where students from dozens of nationalities聽debated diverse聽global issues鈥攊t was聽my love of聽news writing that聽moved聽me to聽minor聽in International Journalism.听听

I was lucky enough to聽take聽my聽FirstBridge聽class聽[a聽first-year聽interdisciplinary聽course]聽with聽the legendary Julie Thomas and Kathleen Chevalier.聽Later,聽Professor Thomas鈥檚 Communicating Fashion course聽helped聽me understand聽fashion鈥檚聽far-reaching implications聽and聽I still draw inspiration from聽Professor Chevalier鈥檚 course on聽female聽artists聽throughout European history.聽I聽delved聽into聽Napoleon Bonaparte聽with聽renowned Napoleonic scholar聽Steven聽Englund,聽traveled to Madrid while learning about the city-state with Stephen Sawyer, explored聽journalism with George聽Kazolias聽and聽CNN鈥檚 senior European correspondent in Paris聽Jim聽Bittermann,聽examined聽Europe鈥檚聽interwar years with Terence Murphy, and聽plunged into聽the history of Rome with George聽Wanklyn.

Looking back on my time at AUP, I鈥檓 struck聽by聽the sheer number聽and variety聽of聽extracurricular opportunities: I took聽part in聽A Chorus Line,聽became聽editor-in-chief of聽The Planet, and gained a deeper understanding of Jacques-Louis David鈥檚聽The Coronation of Napoleon聽through the Les聽Jeunes聽ont聽la Parole program, where聽AUP聽students explain a work of art to visitors at the Louvre. AUP鈥檚聽central location聽also聽allowed us to聽regularly visit聽exhibitions and events聽around Paris.听听

It聽was only after I鈥檇 gone to a much larger university for my MA that I truly appreciated the dedicated support聽of聽AUP鈥檚 professors and staff. They were always聽there to help us choose classes,聽have in-depth academic discussions, or just聽chat about life.聽There was a genuine sense that we were valued as students and聽people who could positively change the world through our collective cooperation and communication.聽I learned the聽value聽of challenging myself, questioning the world, and making聽connections聽amongst聽seemingly聽unrelated聽disciplines.听听

I regularly attend聽alumni events in London, where I live, and聽on my frequent trips to Paris聽meet with professors,聽several of whom wrote聽me聽recommendations聽that聽were聽key聽to聽my acceptance聽into聽a very competitive master鈥檚 program in European history at University College London.聽I can鈥檛 stress enough how much I鈥檝e benefited from the international experience I gained through AUP. When I was interviewed at the聽International Herald Tribune聽(now the聽International New York Times), they specifically cited my experience with聽The Planet,聽I鈥檝e been聽contacted by students from my secondary school聽who聽want to study outside of the US,聽and聽my senior聽thesis聽was recently cited in Andrew Roberts鈥檚 book,聽Napoleon the Great.听听

I am now a secondary school history teacher in Chelmsford, Essex, where I also聽assist聽in聽the development of聽my school鈥檚聽outreach聽program; I鈥檒l soon be reaching out聽to the聽91吃瓜网alumni community聽to ask聽for volunteers who want to聽give career talks. In yet another nod to the history that聽I鈥檝e loved all my life,聽I live聽in Britain鈥檚 oldest聽recorded town, Colchester.聽It鈥檚 been a trip!