Sam DeFranceschi
Class of 2004

[Posted March 8, 2006]

Just a little update on my life. First of all, it should be known that as time passes since my graduation, the greater my longing to return and the more pain I feel from missing the bluffs of IV, the flora and fauna of this magical place. Those who live there now are truly lucky to be able to enjoy such a fabulous ecosystem, such nice air, such nice people and such great exploration options. I am jealous.

Well after finishing up my French certificate at the University of Bordeaux, I put my french to use for the summer and lead a trip of rich northeastern kids all over the Polynesian Islands - translating and facilitating cultural exchange. It was great, but the kids were a huge pain. I learned a lot nonetheless about leadership, authority and such.

I came straight back home to Boston and decided to pursue a career here in NYC. I hit the pavement looking for whatever would come my way based upon my experience. Within two weeks I had signed a contract to work as the personal assistant for a world renowned make-up artist and photographer. For him I am working as a international liaison, legal counselor, real-estate negotiator and mainly a private general contractor renovating his second apartment on Central Park South. My range of ability is certainly due to the wide spectrum of ideas afforded to me in my Global Studies programs at UCSB.

I would like to send my personal gratitude to you and yours. I wish all UCSB students the best in their studies, and I urge them all to concentrate their work - mainly on what excites and invigorates only them, for academia is one of the only fields in which one should be selfish in order to succeed.

Samuel DeFranceschi
Soho, New York - Park Slope, Brooklyn
February 28th, 2006

[Posted Jan. 19, 2005]

After graduation I worked full time in Santa Barbara to save money for my trip cross country. After picking up my girlfriend in SFO we drove across the country, through the north. CA, OR, WA, ID, WY, SD, MN, IL, OH, Pennsylvania, NY, MA.... Maybe I missed one, but it was a fabulous trip. We got to see many things I had always dreamt about. I kicked around my home town of Boston for the summer, enjoying my last bit of American life for a while. Then in September I moved to Bordeaux where I have been living ever since. Here I study at the University of Bordeaux where I take seven classes, five of which are on french grammer and two of which cover french culture and hotel and restaurant industry. Meanwhile I play basketball for the University team, and am training diligently for the half marathon this coming March. I also work Saterday nights at a local French Restaurant as a cook, which has been probably the best thing to happen to me since arriving. I love cooking, and will probably pursue that as a career one day. I am continuing to try to be a freelance journalist, but this is a hard road to take. Over the summer I met with the editor of The Boston Globe's Travel section, she has given me the opportunity to submit features to her and also the editor of the Food section. While I have had nothing published yet, I am working on a very personal piece about a local resaurant owner and his life story. My fingers are crossed. Since my moving into my apartment here with two other french students I have traveled to Algeria, Holland, Spain and Puerto Rico. Prague in Febuary.

As far as future plans go... I am back to Boston in June with my Diploma in French. After I will hopefully be in Tahiti or Chile leading a group of teenagers on a YMCA summer trip. After that my girlfriend wants me to move to India with her, I am hesitant, but these french women are extremely persuasive. How bad could it be? Six months in Bombay? By the way, if either of you know of any opportunities in India, such as internships, or resources in India, I would be grateful (Cali Style)....

I send thousands of kisses to each and every Global Major and I would also like to encourage, once again, for the board and the bosses of the Global Studies Department to make ONE FULL YEAR ABROAD required as a GS major prerequisite. One semester is not enough. Period.

I remain the luckiest person on this earth... in Bordeaux where wine is drank like water from a Sierra-Nevada Mountain Spring,

Sam DeFranceschi
samdefran@gmail.com

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