Alumni speak out about FAIS
Dear Family and Friends of FAIS,
Salut! My name is Caetlin (FAIS alum class of 95). My address for the 2003-2004 academic year was Paris, 18th arrondissement. My roommate was from Argentina and we communicated in a common language: French. We included a bit of Spanish, but remarkably no English.
My daily life revolved around my studies at l’Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris, also known as "Sciences Po." I owe these experiences and opportunities to the French American International School. Though I am far from the FAIS campus, I attribute my academic successes to my elementary education.
At the age of three, my parents chose to enroll me in the FAIS French immersion program. During those foundling years I learned to read, write, add, subtract, and speak fluently in French. Furthermore, I learned how to communicate in a language that was never spoken to me outside the walls of FAIS.
Upon my graduation, however, I began to understand the amazing opportunities that lie outside FAIS. French became a constituent part of my forming academic years; I benefit daily from my education at FAIS. In middle school and high school, I began to realize the wonderful benefits of a bilingual education. I continued to follow French coursework and took Spanish, adapting easily to the language. French students had also begun their bilingual education from an early age. In Europe and most of the world, speaking two or three languages is the norm. With my FAIS education, I felt equally confident to pursue my academic goals on an international level.
This brings me back to Paris. Not only is it one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with exquisite charm, a rich historical background and strong academic opportunities, but with its integration into the European Union it has taken a leading role in world politics and in international relations. My studies at Science Po have not only enriched my bilingualism and broadened my world views, but they have also confirmed my appreciation for an FAIS education. Therefore, it essential to take advantage of a bilingual education at an early age to offer children the opportunity to one day be engaged in an exciting and ever-integrating world; one with many cultures and many languages.
The French American International School provides the resources to do just that.
Meilleurs voeux, (Best Wishes)
Caetlin
1995 Graduate
Caetlin spent her junior year abroad through the University of Washington, where she is working towards a double major in Economics and French , with a minor in European studies.
