I was born and raised in Saint Louis, Missouri. Growing up, I never really travelled much, even inside the United States, but I was always curious about the world around me and determined to see more of it. I started taking French classes in middle school and always dreamed of using my skills outside the classroom. Instead of dreaming of vacations in Paris or Marseilles, like many French-speaking travellers, I was drawn to adventures in West Africa, a region that represented a far-removed homeland for me and many other African-Americans. This is a region where there happens to be a large number of francophone (or French-speaking) countries!
My dream of visiting Africa came within reach when I found out that my college was hosting its first ever study abroad program in Senegal, a French-speaking country in West Africa. It was like it was made for me! I zealously applied and was absolutely ecstatic when I was accepted into the program on a scholarship. I finally embarked on the trip of my dreams in January of 2018.
