Going abroad is something that many people dream of doing, and Ms. Anya Assous has lived that dream many times over.
“I was fortunate enough to travel extensively with my family at a young age and have had the travel bug ever since. Here’s my list: Italy, Switzerland, England, Ireland, Spain, Germany, Morocco, Algeria, Argentina, the Bahamas, and Canada.” She also studied abroad in Lyon, France during her junior year of college at Georgetown University.
Assous comes from a very diverse family, which she believes has made her “very open and interested in many different cultures and people.” It’s also made her want to learn Italian, since she is part Italian. Also, her father came from Algeria, so when she was in her junior year of high school, her and her family took a trip to his home country.
“All of his relatives still live there, so I met some of my aunts, uncles, and cousins for the first time. Algeria is basically a third world country, so my brother, sister, and I slept on the floor, took showers using a bucket of heated up water, etc. But we also got to see the seaside and the beautiful mountains and olive and pomegranate trees. I ate so many pomegranate seeds that I got sick! It was unbelievable to me that my dad grew up that way, and I respected him even more after that trip.”
After traveling to so many different countries, it’s no wonder Assous has grown to love meeting and working with various types of people, especially kids, which is a huge reason she got into teaching.
“I have always worked with kids- I can only think of one job at the GAP where kids weren’t involved somehow, and I only lasted there for three weeks! Specifically, I studied abroad in Lyon my junior year of college and was one of the only students who said she was okay with living with a family with young kids. I vividly remember playing “school” with the five year old, and I loved the English/French exchange that would happen every afternoon.”
Fast forward to 2007, and Assous had started living out another dream of hers when she began teaching and sharing her love of the vast Francophone world.
“I think it’s awesome to see the learning process come alive. It’s always amazing and an honor to watch my students progress through the language. I also knew I wanted to do my best to give back to my community in some way and affect change.”
In addition to being a French teacher, Assous is also the advisor of Class Cabinet and French Club. She had always been interested in being a Class Cabinet advisor, ever since her first interview, and she always takes up a chance to spread more of Francophone culture, so doing French club was a given.
“I was heavily involved in student council when I was in high school, and I truly believe that it shaped who I am today. I love watching a project come to life from beginning to end. It’s crazy how many changes of ideas we go through. I love working with the students to come up with something new and innovative- like a live band at Winter Ball! With French Club, sometimes we don’t get a change to do as many cultural activities as I would like, so I really enjoy that aspect of the club. And it just makes me so happy to see so many Francophiles at NPHS!”
When looking back on her life, Assous has come to the conclusion that, though difficult to really know what has helped her to be the person that she is today, it’s everything that has played a huge part in her life, including her family and her time abroad with them, her friends, and her students.
“Since high school, I have made a conscious effort to surround myself with good, genuine people, and it has completely paid off. My friends accept me for who I am, and I feel 100% comfortable with them. Every time I return from an adventure abroad, I see the USA with new eyes. It’s a great opportunity to reflect on how we act, think, believe, etc.”
In regards to her students, Assous commented, “They keep me energized, young, and hopeful for the future!”