by Alice Caubriere

I am French and have been studying European Studies at Royal Holloway near London for the past year. More precisely my degree comprises international relations, politics and Spanish. Before starting this degree, I was already passionate about international affairs. My ultimate goal is to become a journalist and my studies provide me with the tools to widen my knowledge regarding world’s issues.

I had a very peaceful childhood within a peaceful country but it doesn’t make me unaware of the fact that I am very lucky compare to the majority of people on earth. Besides, studying international relations makes me remind of my luck and makes not taking everything for granted.

In my view, journalism is not only a job but also an honest lifestyle, which includes taking risks for others in order to make things change. Through journalism I want to make a difference.

Multiculturism in My Community

Being born and raised in the countryside of Normandy, multiculturalism was obviously not very present in my community. The rural area where I used to live meant that my only friends were French white people such as me. Indeed, it is only now that I’m living in London that I have had the opportunity to meet people from elsewhere.

Because I used to be surrounded by people who were a bit narrow-minded, I’ve sometimes been confronted by a lack of understanding from people regarding my willingness to study abroad, and above all to leave our country. Not that I don’t like my fellow citizens, but I have always felt as if I was meant to discover different cultures and that I would not be able to feel fulfilled in such a closed community.

The idea of living abroad came to me when I was 14 years old, I decided on my own to learn English and to discover a new culture. I travelled to Canada and stayed with a local family for three months. This experience was kind of a revelation for me: I realized what I was meant to do. Thanks to this amazing experience I decided to go and study in England, but once again, my teachers were very pessimistic and thought I was too ambitious. Fortunately, my parents were here to support me in my plans.

Regarding my family, I would say that it looks like a typical family from the French bourgeoisie. Nevertheless, I have noticed that women had way more power than men. My grandmothers were both great women. One used to be a member of the Resistance during World War II, and the other is a renowned cancer specialist. Furthermore, my mother and aunts are also more successful, professionally speaking, than my uncles, which greatly affected their self-esteem. Unfortunately for them, being in contact with such powerful women left them a bit isolated. I guess this explains why I’ve always been inflexible regarding chauvinism and all kinds of bad behavior that men can have towards women.

http://www.asafeworldforwomen.org/student-writers-project/writers-profiles/alice-caubriere.html