Aida Bekele

HS/IB French, Fluent French

Selam ! My name is Aïda Bekele and I have been teaching at ICS for 10 years! I was born and raised in Addis. I earned a BA degree in Literature and English from “Université Paul Valéry” in Montpellier (France). After that, I attended Davidson College in North Carolina where I received another BA degree in History. I have a Masters degree in Education from the College of New Jersey.

My teaching job has taken me to Senegal, Guinea-Conakry and Mozambique.

I have taught African and US History, Social Studies, Ethiopian Culture and Studies but for a number of years now I have been teaching mostly French which I am absolutely passionate about. I believe learning languages is essential in the 21st century. There are many reasons why it’s important to speak French: it increases one’s job prospect. It is the second most influential language in the world, used for government and business in over 20 African nations. It is also the official language of many International Organizations such as the UN, the Red Cross, and International Olympic Committee.

I have had the privilege of coaching the Varsity Girls Soccer team since 2006. It gives me the opportunity to know students outside of the classroom setting and also to travel with them throughout Africa. This year, we are going to Zimbabwe for the ISSEA tournament in November and I am very excited about that.

In my spare time, I like to travel both domestically and outside of Ethiopia. I also enjoy playing soccer, volley-ball, basket-ball and running. My newly discovered sport is skiing. I have gone to Anzerre, Switzerland in the Swiss Alps with ICS students twice.

I am looking forward to another wonderful year!!