ND: Lainey Destin

Lainy Destin

Winter 1999, v.15-1

Lainy Destin is currently a junior at Columbia University, double-majoring in Political Science and Romance Languages. She participated in EPIIC's INQUIRY program in her junior and senior years at Medford High School. Lainy plans to pursue a career in government/diplomacy, focusing on conflict resolution.

"My experience with the EPIIC program has added a new dimension to my understanding of different cultures. I was born and raised in Montreal, Canada and moved to Medford, MA before after 8th grade. I was culture-shocked as I experienced a different way of living (language, suburbia, etc.). I also had to balance new American Traditions with Haitian values (my parents are from Haiti). I accepted these differences quite gradually and came to believe that learning about another culture was rather simple. The class preparation for the INQUIRY program helped me to realize that understanding a different part of the world goes beyond knowing the population size or the per capita consumption of Coca-Cola. One experience particularly stands out... During my second year in the program (religion and politics in North Africa), my group was charged with researching Islam, Tunisia, and militancy in preparation for our role as the militant Islamic group, Al Nahda. Reading different texts and considering various perspectives on Arab/African nations enabled me to explore a conceptualization of the world completely different from my Haitian-Canadian Catholic realm.

"Now in college, I am thoroughly entrenched in the study of international relations and I am taking full advantage of the various resources offered to enhance my studies. Through my EPIIC acquaintances and contacts, I have learned about different programs, in particular the International Conflict Resolution program. Its director, Andrea Bartoli, was the keynote speaker at the 1996 EPIIC symposium, and I worked with him last spring semester. I am also currently applying to become an EPIIC mentor/facilitator for high school students participating from New York City. I hope that this experience will help to further develop my teaching skills, to review and enhance my knowledge of international issues. I also wish to pass my passion for diplomacy on to a new group of young leaders."

NEW DESIGNS FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT © 1999



		Lainy Destin
Winter 1999, v.15-1
	Lainy Destin is currently a junior at Columbia University, double-majoring in Political Science and Romance Languages. She participated in EPIIC's INQUIRY program in her junior and senior years at Medford High School. Lainy plans to pursue a career in government/diplomacy, focusing on conflict resolution. "My experience with the EPIIC program has added a new dimension to my understanding of different cultures. I was born and raised in Montreal, Canada and moved to Medford, MA before after 8th grade. I was culture-shocked as I experienced a different way of living (language, suburbia, etc.). I also had to balance new American Traditions with Haitian values (my parents are from Haiti). I accepted these differences quite gradually and came to believe that learning about another culture was rather simple. The class preparation for the INQUIRY program helped me to realize that understanding a different part of the world goes beyond knowing the population size or the per capita consumption of Coca-Cola. One experience particularly stands out... During my second year in the program (religion and politics in North Africa), my group was charged with researching Islam, Tunisia, and militancy in preparation for our role as the militant Islamic group, Al Nahda. Reading different texts and considering various perspectives on Arab/African nations enabled me to explore a conceptualization of the world completely different from my Haitian-Canadian Catholic realm. "Now in college, I am thoroughly entrenched in the study of international relations and I am taking full advantage of the various resources offered to enhance my studies. Through my EPIIC acquaintances and contacts, I have learned about different programs, in particular the International Conflict Resolution program. Its director, Andrea Bartoli, was the keynote speaker at the 1996 EPIIC symposium, and I worked with him last spring semester. I am also currently applying to become an EPIIC mentor/facilitator for high school students participating from New York City. I hope that this experience will help to further develop my teaching skills, to review and enhance my knowledge of international issues. I also wish to pass my passion for diplomacy on to a new group of young leaders."
	NEW DESIGNS FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT © 1999