“At the end of the summer, I felt I not only lived and studied in a foreign culture, but that I had become a part of that culture.”
Name: Christopher Alexander Gellert
Birth place: Cleveland, Ohio
Age: 25
Occupation: English teacher, DuocUC in Concepción, Chile
Languages: English, French, Spanish
Currently reading: “Antología de la poesía contemporánea,” edited by Alfonso Calderón; “The Glass Key,” by Dashiell Hammett; “La vie sexuelle de Catherine M.,” by Catherine Millet
What is your most memorable international experience:?
The summer after I studied in college in Paris, I moved in with one of my best friends in the 7th arrondissement to save on living expenses during an internship at Marianne. I composed twin short stories —– one in English and one in French, variations on a theme — which I had received a grant to write. At the end of the summer, I felt I not only lived and studied in a foreign culture, but that I had become a part of that culture.
How did you become interested in international affairs?
After I lived in Rennes in high school, the world took on a different color. I had the privilege to share a roof with a French family and see the world through their eyes. It helped me understand what life was lived in another place — I was able to appreciate a part of the rich tapestry of our experience. Life is not the same everywhere and is not lived the same.
What international issue is of greatest interest to you today?