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Jul 22, 2013 Exploration Programs Conversation Foreign Affairs EXPLO Today

Explo at Yale: Melissa from Haiti

16-year-old Melissa Is new to Explo, but not to the United States. She loves meeting new people and experiencing new things, so she should get along very well ...

Lucas Penzeymoog

16-year-old Melissa Is new to Explo, but not to the United States. She loves meeting new people and experiencing new things, so she should get along very well at a place like Explo at Yale.

I understand that this is your first time at Explo. How did you hear about us?
One of my good friends came here last year and told me and my friends to come here, so we did. They said that it was fun and a good way to meet new people, so here I am.

How are you liking it so far?
I like it — everyone is really nice. Everything has been great so far, so I have nothing to complain about.

What courses are you taking?
I’m taking Public Speaking, Investment Methods, and my workshops are Latin Dance and Leadership. We had our first classes this morning where we presented ourselves to the other students and get to know everybody, basic first day of class stuff.

Haiti is my home, but I really like going to new places and meeting new people, trying something new, and doing different things...coming to Explo is a great way to do that.

What are your favorite subjects in school?
Math. That’s it. Actually history as well, I like them both a lot. I just love being with numbers, and history is history — you have to know it. My favorite time period to study is World War II. There’s so much to learn about it, like how it went, why, and how it happened.

What do you like to do for fun?
In my spare time, I like to work out, dance, listen to music, and also read sometimes. I don’t like horror or mystery books but pretty much everything else I like. One of my favorite books is Pauline by Alexandre Dumas. As for music, I listen to all kinds of music so I don’t have any one specific genre I like the most. I also play a little bit of piano but it’s not a big thing, just something my grandmother taught me.

I feel the same way about music. Is this your first time in the U.S.?
No, not at all. I’ve been to New Orleans, Miami, and also Houston. This is my first time in this area of the country and I really love it. The campus is beautiful. I love the style of the buildings around here.

How does it compare to back home?
In Haiti I have all my family and stuff — but you can’t really compare the two because they’re so different. Haiti is my home, but I really like going to new places and meeting new people, trying something new, and doing different things. So coming to Explo is a great way to do that. I’ve already met a lot of new people but I can’t remember all their names just yet — but I’ll get there.

You speak French, right?
Yeah, it’s my first language actually, but the grammar in English is way easier. In Haiti, the main language is Creole though, but people also speak French.

Is there a Haitian specialty food that you’re missing a lot right now?
Oh yes, I don’t know how to say it in English but we call it mais moulu [corn meal]. I don’t know how to make it but it’s like this corn dish that’s really good. I want some [laughs].

How have the staff been so far?
Nice — they’re all very nice. Everything is going really well so far.

Do you have any final thoughts?
Shout out to Lourence — both of them — Kinza, Valerie, and Talia.

Lucas Penzeymoog