Mirepoix. A new English assistant from Kenya

Phileo Kibeti, the new English assistant on campus, hails from Nairobi, Kenya. The official language is English, and the national language is Swahili. French has the status of a foreign language, just like Spanish or Chinese. So you can choose in school. Filio Kibetti graduated from Moi University, Nairobi with a degree in Literature, French preference. At 25, this is already his second stay in France. He first allowed him to work already as an assistant at the Montpellier Academy in Port-la-Nouvelle and Ségion.

“I really enjoyed my first stay in France and when I saw that I could come back, I didn’t hesitate! Being in Ariège this time is very enriching for me. I really like the historical side of the medieval town of Mirepoix” .

He will arrive in Mirepoix on October 1 and stay on campus until the end of April. “I teach middle and high school students from fourth to final year. I offer activities in English around my Kenyan culture: what we do at Christmas or celebrate independence, cultural traditions, cooking, the music we listen to… I found the students at Mirepoix very friendly and they They are very willing to work with me. Now, I can say that I speak French and English, and I am very happy with my progress “.

In Ariège, he started playing the acoustic guitar and composed a lot of music. “I play soccer with the students, it reminds me of my country. Since I arrived, I experienced the change of season, which is very new to me! I was happy to be able to observe the first snow. In Nairobi, there is no winter, it is always summer, but there is a rainy season.”

He also had to understand the French school system. “Ours is very different because we were colonized by the British. We adopted structures similar to England: we spend eight years in primary school, four years in high school and four years in university. Students wear uniforms at school. Each institution has its own uniform.

Filio Gibeti, who is passionate about travel, has jumped at the chance to represent his Kenyan university during a tournament organized in Madagascar in early 2023. And during the Christmas holidays, he plans to visit Toulouse.