Interview by Ren Ciara Oenema
Where are you from?
I am from the town of Senlis, France, more specifically one hour away from Paris.
What are your interests and hobbies?
I enjoy playing tennis. In France, I am involved in Girl Scouts. Here, however, Girl Scouts is not the same as it is in France, which is why I didn’t join it. In France, from 10th grade through 12th grade, scout groups consist of both girls and boys together, whereas here they are separated.
When did you come to Scarborough?
I came here last August, at the beginning of this school year.
How have you liked it here?
It’s different, but it’s cool and it’s great. I have different friends and the landscape here is different. I definitely prefer the school schedule here over my schedule in France. In France, the school day starts at 8:30 and can end at 4, 5, even 6 o’clock. Although, my usual lunch period is one hour there, unlike here where it’s 25 minutes. We also get a 15-minute break in the afternoon and we have more classes. The classes that I have in France are much more difficult than they are here.
Why did you decide to come to Scarborough?
I knew that I wanted to come to the U.S. to learn English as I knew that it would help me. In Europe, we learn English, but it’s in a different setting and culture. Here, I can actually immerse myself in the culture and get a better sense of the English language. Also, I want to become a flight attendant and need to learn English to get this job, so I figured that I would come to the U.S. to learn and I ended up in Scarborough.
What is something that you really like about Scarborough?
I really like that Scarborough High School offers sports as extracurricular activities. In France, my school doesn’t offer any after-school sports, so I have to join a team/club outside of school. You can meet new people and make new friends from school during sports. It’s really cool.
Was your transition to Scarborough High School challenging?
Definitely. When I first came here, my English was really bad, and I had a hard time communicating with my teachers and classmates. I understood it when people spoke it slowly, but otherwise no one could understand me. It was also hard adjusting to the school schedule and finding my way around the school and getting to my classes.
What is your favorite place in Scarborough?
Although it’s not in Scarborough, I would have to say the mall as I love shopping. I go to the beaches sometimes when it’s sunny and nice out, but otherwise I love shopping.
What is something that no one in town knows about you?
I am a funny person. In France, people know me as the funny girl that likes to make jokes, but here, I am much more shy. Because English is not my first language, I feel less comfortable trying to be funny as people probably won’t understand my jokes.
Many thanks to Ren Ciara Oenema for this piece. Ren Ciara is a Scarborough High School junior with an interest in writing and journalism. She connected with Marine through her tennis coach and journalism mentor, Lincoln MacIsaac.
