Jane Goodall: a renowned primatologist, ethologist and anthropologist. She is one of the reasons why I wanted to follow an Animal Studies MA at NYU. She started research in 1960 with no scientific training and created a life's path for herself. She empowers me to create a life's path for myself and to explore further how animal-assisted therapy can be exploited to alleviate mental health issues for vulnerable groups in both low- and high income settings.

Upon leaving High School with a French Baccalaureate (Honors) and a British ‘A’-Level in English Language and Literature, I therefore took up the study of this discipline in 2018 at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, and, by June 2021, I shall be graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations. Through my undergraduate studies, I have already evolved in a multi-disciplinary environment. This is important, as the world in which we live is becoming increasingly interconnected, and knowledge emanating from all areas of science is necessary to give meaning to our ever-changing world. The multi-disciplinary approach that the NYU MA in Animal Studies affords is vital to my ambition to be a resourceful and versatile student. The study opportunities proposed by this program will instill in me the confidence to raise my voice on issues that I dearly care about. I hope to sharpen my skills of critical analysis and to put that to use in serious Animal Studies research, both qualitative and quantitative. My studies gave me access to the Model United Nations community of Geneva (GIMUN), and I was a head delegate for a semester. I helped others to represent a country and to speak on its behalf. This experience was most empowering, but it also showed me how little attention is devoted to animals at an international level. I strongly feel that international discussions on animal welfare are just as important as for any other major issue, such as climate change or global health. My main goal is to highlight animal welfare on the international stage. This can be done not by leading a protest, not by telling people to love animals and that they are important for our ecosystems, but by providing essential academic knowledge about animal welfare, and showing ingenious and accessible ways to induce change. As a non-veterinary professional, my emphasis, line of attack and major contribution would be through policies at national and international level, that are beneficial for animal welfare action (especially those enabling the work of national and international NGOs in the field). I leave open the possibility that this line of study and the MA program might lead me later to take up studies in natural sciences or another animal-related field in order to be more effective in the area of policy. That being said, this program opens up a vast range of possibilities enabling me, ultimately, to select my own path: be it through the pursuit of an academic career, field work, or in policy making institutions. I have a personal interest in the benefits of therapy, notably animal-assisted therapy, as I have occasionally known the experience of anxiety; horse-riding and contact with animals have been my principal ways of coping. As a result of readings and conversations with psychologists, I have gained personal insight into mental health issues and this has inspired my empathy with persons suffering from mental health problems. I should like to explore further how animal-assisted therapy can be exploited to alleviate mental health issues for vulnerable groups in both low- and high income settings. On a more personal note, I wish to reach greater maturity through my studies and the interactions with professors and fellow students. This personal development should flow from confrontation with new ideas and opinions around animals, of both a theoretical and practical order. In conclusion, I firmly believe that this degree would give me the chance to explore these various options and the foundation upon which to achieve those aspirations.

Let me tell you about the day when I lost my horse. She had been ill for the past few months, and I was caring for her, every day, sometimes twice a day. It was difficult because we had no precise idea of what the problem was: a fractured leg? A bacterial infection ? No vet was able to determine with precision, but we could see her state deteriorating as the days went by. She was, and still is to this day, the horse of my life. I grew up with her, I challenged all my fears with her, we did everything together. She was my life partner. The vet called me one evening, as I was in class, to tell me that she needed to be put down. I cannot express in words how I felt at that moment -I knew a part of me was going to leave me, forever. The next day, the vet came around, we took her out of her stable and led her to a discreet corner where she depart peacefully. The vet explained everything and gave her an affectionate kiss, after which I said my final goodbyes. It was painful. At that moment, everything came to a standstill. I looked away, with tears in my eyes, as she fell on the ground. An important sentiment that has remained with me from that day is that the vet was so human. She was very saddened because we had been trying to heal and relieve our horse for months. Her eyes were soft as she said something that I will never forget: "She will always be grateful to have had you as her owner". Her words resonated within me for the months following that day of loss. Somehow, I think that it helped me in accepting the experience, and it taught me to heed my instinct. I knew that it was the best for her, indeed we discovered later on that it had been a sort of degenerative disease: we relieved her suffering before it was too late. I will always be grateful to have shared this painful experience with this vet, because she was able to tell me exactly what I needed to hear. From this, I learned that difficult times are way less difficult when shared with good people and that being surrounded by kind; thoughtful individuals can make a huge difference in life. And kindness can be found everywhere around us: it can be found in words, in a smile, in a hug, in a hand on a shoulder, or sometimes just in a look.

Who or what is your "everything"? My everything is a secret spot, in the back of my head, where I can dream, where I can dream of becoming an actress, a director and a screenwriter, without anyone judging me. This place is a big garden, in which I dance, I run, I scream, whenever I feel the need to do so. My everything is where I find the inspiration to write, to imagine, to create what my next short film is going to look like. My everything lies in a moment, during which I get to choose my own path, where I can freely move and channel my inner demons. I can feel my 'everything' every time I write, every time I direct, every time I tell stories. My everything is where I belong: it is my path. Everyone in this life is looking for an "everything", you can find it in someone, in nature, in life itself. However, as a dreamer and as someone with undaunted optimism, my everything lies in my mind, it lies within everything I create.