I was attracted to AUP mainly because it was located in the
heart of French culture. I was an avid student of French in
High School. AUP also seemed an ideal place to begin my
formal studies in Art History.
How would I describe the AUP classroom experience? It was
challenging and invigorating to take classes and do research
in French. (Not all of my classes were in French, but a few
were.) For me, the entire city and its museums, bookstores,
and other cultural resources were the living classroom. I
was 17 years old and on my own in one of the jewels of
Western civilization. I was also a short train ride from
other places that nurtured my interest in art history, such
as Amsterdam. That was the essence of my experience. I was
heartbroken to leave it, no one could ask for a better
learning environment.
I was used to living in and visiting various European
cities, so I did not have much trouble adapting to being in
the diverse environment that is AUP. I had classmates from
parts of the world I had never visited, especially the
Middle East. We had more in common as students than we had
differences. I got the most exposure to other students of
other cultures on my walks home in the evenings; I lived on
the Boulevard St-Michel.
I loved the Marais. It was pretty gritty back then. There
was the most fantastic graffiti on the walls – not like
today with spray paint – actually scratched into the walls.
That was a bit of ancient Paris that was still available
then. I spent hours on my own in the Louvre. I sketched
there, in peace and quiet. I have to say that AUP completely
spoiled me. After studying works of art in person, no slide
presentation could ever completely satisfy me. My academic
experience fueled a lifelong interest in history, and I can
call on my experiences in Paris to enrich my reading and
research to this day, four decades later.
I was very young when I came to AUP – just 17 – so I was
forming my view of the world at the time. Much of my current
world view comes from that year, as I was very inquisitive
and open. I saw the world as rich, rewarding, complex,
sometimes difficult, often heartbreakingly beautiful, and
funny — and surprisingly, I still do. I had a variety of
experiences in that year in Paris not only because daily
life is so complicated and challenging in a city of that
size but also because of the city’s rich and remarkable
history. Not all of my experiences were pleasant, but all
were instructive. In particular, I recall the everyday life
in the home of my French family hosts. They were not chummy,
but in their own way they were caring and encouraging. I
feel gratitude to them for allowing me into their home and
their lives. They also had a great address! Just opposite
the Luxembourg Gardens. Also, I learned to cook in their
kitchen, French cooking made easy!
My time at AUP also helped me develop confidence in my
ability to adapt to new circumstances. I acquired a
life-long interest in cross-cultural experiences,
particularly the cross-cultural requirements of providing
psychological services. I wrote my dissertation for my PhD
on the problem of differing cultural understandings of
selfhood, particularly in the context of psychological
training and practice in mainstream institutions. Since
about 2000 I have been back to work in the field of fine
art. I have been showing in galleries locally for some time,
and have a website for my artwork:
http://carollambertarts.com . In my life as an
artist, I have been able to build on my experiences at AUP
by continuing to visit major museums and collections at
every opportunity, sometimes traveling great distances to do
so.
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