The Daily Herald -Christella Belly Garard

I was born in Haiti on October 8, 1988, and moved to St. Maarten at the age of three. Being new to this island and not knowing a word in English, I was really shy and kept to myself. That changed once I realized how culturally diverse St. Maarten was; there were other children here who were in the same situation as I was. I made friends with kids from different cultural backgrounds and we helped each other learn English. My parents realized from a very young age that I loved to learn and that I was academically gifted; I was always reading or doing something school-related. They encouraged me to “dream big” and worked hard to secure a bright future for me. They supported me in everything I wanted to do: tennis, steel-pan, track and dance. My true passion was for medicine and pharmaceutical sciences. I would spend hours reading the information leaflets of medicine and looking up information online about the ingredients and how they worked to cure/relieve illnesses. After some research, I decided that pharmacy would be the best career option for me. I moved to Utrecht in 2007 to pursue my pharmaceutical dream. I’ve learned a lot in the past three years and have acquired a growing interest for drug delivery, safety and development. We have accomplished so much in the medical and pharmaceutical field, but there is an ocean of information that is still unknown. My dream is to help make that ocean a little smaller.

What St. Maarten district are you from?

I lived in Cul-de-Sac for 14 years and then moved to Cay Hill.

Where did you go to school on St. Maarten?

Care Bears Playschool, Oranje School, Milton Peters College.

What is your favourite St. Maarten memory?

I can’t pick one, but my favourite memories involve family, friends, school and church, one of which, oddly enough, was during Hurricane Luis in 1995 when my house and that of my neighbours got damaged. Everyone worked together to secure shelter and make sure everyone was safe. It was a true example of teamwork.

What was your biggest surprise when you left the island?

How much I missed my family (thank God for skype, haha) and the familiarity of the island.

What are your accomplishments?

I have accomplished a lot in my 21 years and have so much more things to accomplish. My biggest academic accomplishments have been representing St. Maarten in the 2006 and 2007 Math-Alympiade (an annual international mathematics competition that is help in the Netherlands) and being part of the winning team in 2006. It was an honour to prove that St. Maarteners are competent people who are able to perform well internationally; furthermore being the first person in my immediate family to attend college and obtain a bachelor’s degree…Personally, just growing up and becoming an outspoken young adult.

What are your goals?

My ultimate goal in life is to break stereotypes, inspire and encourage others to achieve their goals.

What makes you special?

I would say my background and personality. One question I get asked a lot, especially since living abroad, is whether I identify myself as a Haitian or a St. Maartener. I’m both; I was born in Haiti and brought up by Haitian parents, Mwen Haitienne; and I’m a St. Maartener. St. Maarten is where I grew up and was shaped to be the person I am today.

Where do you get your drive?

I get my drive from my parents. They are very hard working individuals and they instilled that in me from a very young age. I was taught that nothing in life comes easily and I could achieve anything and everything I wanted with hard work and dedication.

How long have you been gone?

I’ve been gone for three years.

Do you have any advice for the young people of St. Maarten?

Stay focused on your goals and always stay true to who you are. Young people really need to realize that they are the future. It might sound cliché, but it really is true. They need to realize that they have a voice and the capability to make a change and mould their future and the future of St. Maarten the way they envision it to be.

Are you planning to return to St. Maarten in the future?

Yes. I plan on coming back for vacation and possibly an internship during the course of my studies. I definitely want to come back and use what I’ve learned to help keep the Friendly Island blooming; there is a lot of room for growth.