Melissa
I’m an 18-year-old Mexican studying Civil Engineering in France, living passionately and with full awareness of what shapes my reality: my calling, my passions, and the people and dreams that give them purpose. Thankfully, throughout my life, I’ve seized the opportunities that have let me develop in music, languages, and science. I’ve played the violin since I was ten, and thanks to my family, amazing teachers, and a lot of hard work, I’ve reached a level that lets me appreciate and express this art in many ways.
I’m a challenge-seeker. The reason for this is that challenges make us grow. I decided, then, to pursue a challenging career in a third language, in a different country, after having lived my entire life in a small city that lacks urban planning. Thanks to my education, I’ve discovered the fascinating world of science and construction, and how through smartly crafted tools, we can make people’s lives better. It’s the perfect example of a win-win, where the satisfaction of building and finding solutions as a team blends with creations that improve the quality of life. Our cities and the paths that connect them shape our homes, so their design, thought and work rest forever in our experiences and memories.
I have loved developing my English and French. It is enriching to communicate with languages that have their own personality, nuances, and even a whole integrated culture. After two years of training, I embarked into a new life full of French, from my professional preparation to my day-to-day life. In life, I struggle, I crack my head, I take my body to failure at the gym, and at the end, it all contributes to my happiness. The struggle makes the results satisfactory and meaningful, and even during the toughest days, there are moments of joy.
I enjoy reflecting on my experiences, my decisions, and my feelings because that way I know myself better and find the lessons to keep in mind. I’ve gotten this far thanks to my work, yes, my passion, my time, my discipline, my motivations, yes. But also thanks to so many people that have shown me their love and support in priceless ways, and the best part is that they keep doing so. That is why one of my main values is gratitude. Naturally, thanks to this, I keep moving forward, embracing the support that makes it all possible.
flight plan
October 2025
It’s been two and a half months since I started living in France, and throughout this time, I’ve realized how living in a different country, with its own culture, language, education system, and routines, broadens and reshapes one’s perspective.
We adapt to our surroundings to thrive within them, without forgetting where we come from or what we’ve already learned. This experience builds upon that to refine it and open new ways of thinking.
I’m calculating forces and loads, analyzing CCTPs, developing budgets, doing topographic leveling, and recognizing more and more elements from real construction projects.
I’m diving into an ever-evolving field, as there will always be something to build and remodel, and the world is developing new technologies to seek greater efficiency and new ways of solving problems. Now that I’m in this environment, these approaches feel closer and clearer.
Even though I’m pursuing a tough rhythm at school where I’m constantly demanding a lot from my brain, it is a fulfilling process and I can feel myself growing more prepared each day.
September 2025
It’s already been a month since I embarked on this new, exotic, and crazy adventure. In just thirty days, I’ve had countless conversations with others and with myself, and my mind has begun to open at a speed that caught me by surprise.
My civil engineering program is so dense that I normally spend ten hours a day at school, eight of which are dedicated to classes. I have so many teachers and courses that my schedule changes each week. I either have Cours Magistraux, Travaux Dirigés, or Travaux Pratiques, which change the size of my class depending on the focus (practical or theoretical).
Every day, I learn new things. I have to adapt to a new way of organizing numbers, applying trigonometry to real civil engineering situations, and using my logic for unique subjects such as Material Resistance, which encompasses forces, units, balances, physics, parabolas, geometry, and more. With each lesson, I connect more dots.
My class is amazing. Everyone is very kind and curious about my origins, as I am the only foreign student in my TD group. They are eager to learn and ask many questions.
Learning in a third language that’s neither English nor Spanish has definitely been a challenge. I must put extra effort into concentrating as I go through my day, but overall, I manage well. I live the language as I talk with my new friends and roommates, as I solve issues with my accounts, and as I prepare to become an engineer.
There have been tough times. During the first week of school, I made a silly mistake in my design evaluation that affected the entire assignment. I constantly have a heavy load of subjects to study, but even then, I make time to unwind and keep practicing sports and the violin. This balance helps me breathe before another study session.
I encourage myself even when I feel very confused about something. For instance, I had a class I’d never taken before (Fluid Dynamics) and the teacher gave the class as if everyone already had at least fifty percent of the context. This was a call to action that led me to catch up by taking a full Khan Academy course over the weekend.
For the first time in my life, I have the freedom to do whatever I want, whenever I want, and I’m learning to handle that responsibly, which feels natural. I go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day, compare prices to shop for groceries smartly, and keep the order and cleanliness in my apartment.
Even though I’m thousands of miles away from the people I love and those who support me, I feel you all so close. My gratitude is endless
Summer 2025
I said goodbye to my orchestra friends and teachers and performed the final piece at my recital, a truly epic conclusion. My violin teacher encourages me to keep playing, telling me that I’ve now reached a level he saw during his own college years. I’ll be moving with my violin by my side.
This month, I also completed some procedures for my apartment in France and submitted my administrative registration for school. I’ll be able to move forward as soon as the offices return from vacation.
In the meantime, I’m enjoying my last weeks in Cabo with friends and family, and reading a fascinating book the foundation gifted me. It explores structures from biology to engineering, explaining stress, strain, and the history of structural discoveries in a way that’s easy to understand. I love how it highlights rivalries between philosophers, scientists, and practical builders, all of which feels deeply relevant to my future career.
June 2025
This month, I traveled to Mexico City for my visa appointment at the French Embassy. At first, I thought I would have to explain the financial documents in detail, such as the bank statements and pay slips they requested, but in the end, I only had to hand them in the order they asked for. They took my fingerprints, and I left my passport. After that, I took the opportunity to get my four wisdom teeth removed so I wouldn’t have to deal with it while living abroad, and just a week later, I received my passport at home with my visa stamped.
At the end of June, I got my INE in order to open a Mexican bank account, as well as my apostilled certificate and no marriage record, which I needed for some procedures in France, such as getting my social security number and applying for housing financial aid.