It is a big year for 10^th grader Charly Pollet. Imagine having to say goodbye to all your friends, your parents, your school and even your very own room. Imagine having to leave everything you have ever had behind, flying across the Atlantic Ocean and going to school with classes not taught in your mother language. Pollet has had to experience all of these things in order to be able to go to school here.  His dream of moving to America has now come true, and we are happy to welcome him to our Upper Division for the remaining three years of his high school career. The Berkeley community is looking forward to seeing all that he can accomplish, but first it is important to take a deeper look and really understand why he chose to move to Berkeley all the way from Perpignan, France.

Pollet proudly says that he has wanted to live in America ever since he was born. However, his desire to “discover this amazing country and experience its culture” seemed out of reach, more like a distant dream than a possible reality. In January of 2015, however, he participated in Berkeley’s exchange program with Bon Secours, his school in Perpignan. “If I did not participate in the exchange program,” explains Pollet, “I could have never imagined any of this happening to my life.” Receiving the Byron Palls International Studies Scholarship was, perhaps, “the best thing” that has ever happened to him. This scholarship recognizes the need for increased international contacts between the Berkeley community and the world, and it annually awards one tuition-free scholarship for high school students living abroad to partake of the Berkeley experience.

Like many boys here in America, sports, specifically basketball, have always played a significant role in Pollet’s life. He recalls his last time refereeing a semifinals basketball match in Marseilles “in front of more than 1,000 people,” truly a proud moment for his career. He is looking forward to hopefully serving as a referee or player on one of Berkeley’s basketball teams. “Maybe one day,” he says, “I can referee for the Miami Heat.” Who knows? So far, he has taken three flights across the ocean to get here, so a four-hour drive down Florida is nothing compared to that.

Contrary to popular belief, Pollet says that “we [the French] don’t eat frog legs and snails (escargot) every day,” but he does miss these signature French delicacies. His favorite American food is a classic, what he calls “a very good piece of steak.” Nonetheless, “the original French baguette” is one of the things he misses most from back home, even more than his family and friends.

Pollet’s greatest fear is being called on in class and “not understanding what to do,” because, after all, English is his second language and he does not want to risk “embarrassing” himself in front of the whole class. However, I reassured him that with Berkeley’s excellent support system, including prefects, student tutors, and extra help from teachers, he should have no reason to fear being confused in any of his classes. Whether he needs to visit the Writing Center for help on his first English paper or just practice opening his locker with his prefect buddy, the school has many resources that will help him feel more comfortable with the campus, the country, and his new life.

When asked what he wants to gain most his first year in America, Pollet responds with “friends and knowledge.” Undoubtedly, after the first month of school, he will feel immersed with new knowledge and information, from roundtable discussions on The Catcher in the Rye in his English class to solving problems on Newton’s Laws of Motion in physics. As for friends, given his fresh face and outgoing personality, he is bound to create many new friendships that will surely last him a lifetime and help him along the way in his new life. And remember, if you ever need some help with your French homework or just want to practice some conversational skills, he is probably the best person you can reach out to—a true native speaker. So next time you see Pollet in the halls, make sure to holler out a “bonjour” or “bienvenue” to our new French buccaneer.