“Like most FAA students, Emilie is a true Third Culture Kid who doesn’t fit into any tight boxes, which can be both a blessing and a curse. It’s nice to see the students connect across different cultures and celebrate rather than judge cultural differences.” – Liesbeth Huysmans
Q: What inspired your family to choose The French American Academy?
My husband and I are both Belgian. We speak Flemish, but our daughter, Emilie, was born in Paris and went to school there until the start of 2nd grade. For us, it was non-negotiable to have her continue her education in French as well as English. That way, she will not have any difficulty integrating into a French-speaking school or university if we ever decide to move back to France or Belgium, while also having the option to continue her education in English.
Q: How does the bilingual environment at FAA support Emilie as she learns and grows in both French and English?
Emilie is fluent in French, English, and Dutch. We find it important for her to continue developing her grammar, vocabulary, listening, and speaking skills, as well as learning about history and culture in French and English, with both French and US American perspectives. Having French and American teachers and friends from many different cultures, she is also building her cultural intelligence at a very young age.
Q: Can you share a school project, event, field trip, or other experience that Emilie especially enjoyed or learned from?
Emilie’s highlights are definitely the field trips and, most recently, the “Coast to Coast” trip to Providence, where she stayed with a host family for three nights. She has also been a passionate eco-delegate from the moment she joined the FAA. She is a member of the FAA Model UN team and is very excited to go to Chicago as part of the first FAA Dolphins girls’ basketball team.
Q: How has the environment at FAA helped your child stay connected to her Belgian roots while also feeling part of a diverse, international community?
Most Belgians are not very chauvinistic or patriotic. Being surrounded by teachers and friends who are proud of their country of origin definitely sparked a strong sense of curiosity and pride in her own Belgian roots. When she’s in the US, she dreams about visiting Belgium, while at the same time, after visiting Belgium, she’s equally eager to come back to the US.
Like most FAA students, Emilie is a true Third Culture Kid who doesn’t fit into any tight boxes, which can be both a blessing and a curse. It’s nice to see the students connect across different cultures and celebrate rather than judge cultural differences.
Q: How has Emilie grown since moving from elementary school to middle school, and what feels different about the learning environment at this stage?
It’s been a very smooth transition into middle school. It’s really fun to watch her become so much more independent, and it looks like the entire 6th grade is really enjoying the new level of responsibility and independence. The new campus and the school bus are a welcome change, as there is more interaction with students from other grades.
For us parents, a big change is having so many different teachers. Until 5th grade, the French and English teachers knew each student very well, as well as the group dynamic. If there was ever an issue, you could easily talk to one or both teachers, and parents were more involved in school life, so there were casual interactions with the teachers throughout the year. Right now, each individual teacher spends only a limited amount of time with the students, and there are only a few moments when parents are involved in activities or events.
Q: Have you made friends with other bilingual or international families through the school?
I sometimes joke that we left France and moved to the US, only to be immediately adopted by the French community here. We are very grateful for all the wonderful friends we’ve made through the FAA community.
Q: What’s your favorite place, café, park, or restaurant in Jersey City to spend time together as a family?
We love our Hamilton Park neighborhood. It has so much character and a strong sense of community. There’s always something to do, and you always run into familiar faces.
Q: What has been the biggest surprise or adjustment about life in the United States?
Personally, I think the US is a better cultural fit for me when it comes to how people interact and work together. One of my biggest surprises about life in the US is that, on the one hand, it is the land of convenience, while, on the other hand, some administrative processes are very old-school.
Q: Can you share a few activities your family enjoys together, such as hobbies, outings, or traditions? How do these moments bring you closer as a family?
Our favorite activity is definitely traveling. We love to explore new places, enjoy local foods and drinks, and learn about history, nature, and daily life in the places we visit. Even though, as a tourist, you only get to scratch the surface of the local culture, it does open the mind and allows kids to see how people elsewhere do things differently and have different perspectives. Not better, not worse, just different.
Q: What is one thing Emilie has taught you as a parent?
Emilie is not afraid to be herself, even if that means being different at times. She does not pretend to like things as a result of peer pressure. She is very sensitive and also very strong. She has an enormous amount of empathy, as well as courage and confidence. She is not afraid to stand up to bullies or speak up when she notices something is unfair, which I find really admirable.
