Hey guys!
I am Theresa Schimana and I am one of those people at Jacobs who has difficulties answering thequestion ‘And, where are you from?’… I was born in September of 1990 in Singen (Southern Germany) and spent the first 8 years of my life there. Then my family and I started a long and far move to Moshi (Northern Tanzania, East Africa), where I lived until June 2008. Now, my family of 5 lives on 3 different continents – Europe, Africa and North America - on our beautiful planet. The hard part in answering the question is actually not the geographical part but the emotional part. I don’t like saying that I’m from Germany, because - as I like to put it – I’m not as German as most other Germans. On the other hand, I am also by far not as Tanzanian as others living in Tanzania.

Other than that I think it is pretty simple... I am 18 and as long as I can remember I have been passionate about dancing, soccer (which I’ve been playing since primary school) and my family. My dad is a doctor specialized on HIV/AIDS and felt that his work was more needed and more enjoyable in Tanzania, where he now works as a supervisor and representative of EGPAF (Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation). My mother is a nurse and an occupational therapist as well as a great supporter and listener, who taught one of the greatest things about life: to smile and to be happy about all the small things that are constantly happening all around us. My older brother Max (20) is my companion for life and he’s studying environmental engineering at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Finally there’s the little one, Ferdi (11), who is the smartest and most creative kid I know… plus he gives me the chance to be a kid whenever I want to! Other than that, I like to hike. I have climbed Mt. Meru, Ol’donyo’lengai (the holy mountain of the Massai) as well as Kibo hut and Mawenzi and I’ve hiked in the Alps. Other than that I discovered the beautiful area of the fringes of Kilimanjaro by horse, something I advise all of you to do and would give anything for to do it again.

My academic life story is pretty short. I started school at the age of 7, in a German primary school and found it extremely difficult to leave my school to start at an international school in, what felt like a completely different world. Though, the English was learned quickly and the 12 others in my class, who came from at least 8 different countries, were very welcoming. At the age of 15 I completed my IGCSEs and moved right on to the not-so-loved IB Diploma course… Then, after 10 years of school I had finally survived it, and was even rewarded with the Award of Academic Excellence not sure how I did that! A highlight of my schooling took place in 2005 when I had the privilege – which many of you here also have – of attending the East African Models United Nations in the East African UN headquarters in Nairobi. Now, I am here; a proud Mercatorian studying ISCP - yet another amazing experience shaping my life.

At the International School Moshi I got to know interesting people from all over the world, graduating from an incredibly mixed class. That’s why I wanted to come to Jacobs. Such a culturally diverse and open community is something very special which can’t exactly be found in many places around the globe…

Other than Tanzania and Kenya I haven’t seen much of East Africa, sadly. But thanks to my father’s very international job and our friends all over the world, I have been to over 10 different countries, some of my favorites being Laos and France. I plan to see more, and especially to get to know more cultures. Plans in particular? Not yet. My dream has been to learn Spanish and to see at least a few of the South American countries. Maybe I’ll get time to do that after the bachelor…!

Mercator is my new home and my new family. Where else would I ever have the chance to walk down the hall and hang out with a Mexican and a Canadian, when I’m tired of studying? And where else would server ladies be so friendly and energetic to put a smile on my face every morning? It’s all Mercator, and I’m happy that I’m here.