Kim A. Vallieres

I am actually seventeen years old and an hopeful dreamer. I'm living in a small town (Granby) near the big canadian city called Montreal. French speaker, I also speak fluent English and Serer, and currently am a Spanish learner as well as a Portuguese and Thai learner. In september I will also be taking Mandarin Chinese courses. People know me as being the 'all-travel-exeperience' girl because I'm just into every kind of trip. I would be asked to go to nowhere land in the middle of the wood and I would totes' accept and wouldn't be able to wait until the departure date. I'm just that weird. Oh well, I like big city trips too, and I've been able to see the city that never sleeps more than once and the america's capital. Of course, I've seen lots of others big cities, as Boston, Ottawa, etc.. I've also been in Africa to do some humanitarian aid and I fell in love with it.

Africa has actually been a life changing experience. I would have never thought that it would have been as hard but as wonderful as this. My three weeks spent on the african ground with my serer family was completely full of ups and downs. Life over there is so different but so amazing at the same time that you can't help but wishing that life would be as wonderful over here. I still know that I wouldn't trade my north american life for their poverty west african life but I came back with a whole new point of view. Yes, they almost have nothing - as for nothing I am talking about barely four beds for nearly as fifteen persons, per exemple - but they have more respect for each other and more love than what we will ever have in North America with our 'money and power' values. Briefly, Africa has made me a brand new person, a better and more loving one. It has changed my life for the better.

Now I'm back and I'm hoping for people to accept differences and to start loving and caring for each other, as much as they do in Africa, 'cause that's the best thing that we could ever have.

As for my life projects, I don't really like making some 'cause I don't tend to respect them always. But what I can tell you is that I am starting University in the Canadian Capital at U of Ottawa in the upcoming fall. I will be studying civil law with a minor in International Development and Globalization. I hope to do a master degree in International Affairs Law afterwards. Here's what I know! Cheers!

Imagine all the people, living life in peace.