5 Questions with Guillaume
March 9, 2016
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Seventeen year old, Guillaume Oury, is a student from France who is part of the foreign exchange program, and although he has only been in the California for a week and a half, he has already gained a new perspective on America.
Q1: From your stance, what is the language like in America?
A1: “[The] language in America is more complicated for French [people]. I think it is because in my school in French [France] we study just English, so it’s like proper words but it’s more identifiable. Here we speak more quickly. We contract words so at the beginning when I came here it’s more difficult, yes, but now it’s good.”
Q.2 How does the school system here in Downey differ from yours in France?
A3: “Your school [is] totally different than [my] French school. First it is a lot bigger. For example, when you study math or science we work in groups. Your teacher very funny its like a good relationship. He takes your homework; you have lots of material: lots of camera, computer, internet, but in France it’s not that. We have a teacher but sometimes, like always, he just gives his lesson and wants notes. When we do work in groups it’s very bad because French people, for me, complain a lot and do not take importance for school but me I say, ‘you go to school and it is a very good chance,’ here in America, you know that, but over there no.”
Q3: Are there any specific things you might miss from France?
A3: “No. I want to go back, but if I can stay here, I [would] stay here.”
Q4: Would you ever consider moving to America?
A4: “Me, I dream to live in New Zealand, but America is good too. I would like to stay here because America is very big; people are very funny and nice, and I think it is very easy to make a good life when you want to work for it.”
Q5: Do you know any other languages and have you traveled anywhere else?
A5: “Yes, I speak just a few Spanish [words], ‘Hola como estas?’ and I study Latin;
Yes, last year I went to Detroit for the same trip. My family, we go to Chicago too.”
“I saw a lot of videos and was like ‘you know what, I can do this,” Rios said. “I’ve made about five skirts but out of all of them I honestly only like two.”
Even though she does not really like many of the clothes she makes, she admits she wants to make her own prom dress this year, so she is often found wearing articles of clothing she has made. Since her style is more old school she is easier to find in a crowd.
“I think she takes off the things she’s interested in,” Stephanie Cornejo, 12, said. “A lot of people complement her on her wardrobe.”
Her friends are very supportive of her and her work. People have asked her if she can make them clothes and have even offered to pay her for clothes. All times she has denied their request, because she plans on keeping it as a hobby and not turning it into a business anytime soon.
“I don’t see myself doing it,” Rios said. “It’s just a pass time; I think it’s cool but I honestly don’t see myself making a career out if it.”
Rios does often think about having it as a career but she claims it is not the thing for her. She still does not know what career choice to make but she is leaning towards other interests.
“I’m really critical of my work,” Macias said. “Naturally, I didn’t think that me, out of all the other wonderful photographers on staff, would be photo editor.”
Having little to no interest in the subject, Macias took a liking to photography after an opening for yearbook, just a week before her junior year. At first not being sure, photography would later become one of her greatest passions, although she still had a lot to learn.
“I didn’t know how to teach her. It was an entirely new concept for her and she had no interest in it until about a week before she started her junior year. I couldn’t project what I knew and what was in my head to her,” sister Cindy Macias said. “I always love seeing new photos of events she goes to.”
While being shy at first, Macias has been able to develop many things thanks to photography. Having the will to learn, and being able to seek help from the then photo editor, Fernando Mandujano, Macias was able to come out of her comfort zone, meet new people, and become a leader, all while doing something she loves.
“She’s definitely learned to become more of a leader because of photography,” Mandujano said. “She can lead a group of photographers and she’s managed to teach them how to work with cameras.”
Macias plans on pursuing a career in photography in the future, with her goal being able to work for a big publishing firm and becoming a well-known photographer.
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