Annabelle Montille, French Teaching Assistant

My name is Annabelle (“Hannah”, which means grace in Hebrew, and “Belle”, which is beauty in French), and I am a French Teaching Assistant at Mount Holyoke for the academic year. I am studying English and Bible Ethics, and I really enjoy my courses. I find that the educational system is very different from that in France.

I was born on the beautiful island of Mauritius, which is in the Indian Ocean off the East Coast of Madagascar. Mauritius is a tropical island best known for its blue lagoons, sandy beaches, and sunny climate. The capital is Port-Louis and the official language is English, though French is more widely spoken and understood. Mark Twain said that God created Mauritius and took it as a model to create Paradise. How far is this true, I don’t know. You must come to my island to find out. There you will meet the Mauritian population composed of Africans, Indians, Chinese, Europeans, all living in peace and harmony (which always surprises most people who visit the island).

Although I spent 18 wonderful years in Mauritius, I left to study in Montpellier in the south of France. I must admit that I fell in love with the French culture and with Montpellier, which I consider my second home. I spent six unforgettable years there and graduated in Humanities at the University of Paul Valery. Life in Montpellier was great, and I enjoyed my favorite pastimes— lying on the beaches of the French coast for hours; reading my favorite plays from Shakespeare; or roaming the city with friends. Also, as I enjoy traveling, I usually went to Spain each month (which is only 2 hours from Montpellier) or to Switzerland, which is not that far either.

Leaving home to discover other cultures and customs is an enriching experience and in 2006 the adventure continues in the U.S. at Mount Holyoke in South Hadley.