Personal – Session 1
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): La Petite Mort
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2016/07/01
Let’s talk a little bit about your personal, familial, and educational background.
As far as education goes, I went to a bilingual school in my hometown. My hometown is this tiny, small city in Southern Peru, not far from Chile. Life is different there than in the capital, way different. Most Peruvians don’t even know where the city is located, but I do have to admit that it has its advantages growing up in small towns because you’ll get good education at lower prices. I had the chance to experience that.
My school had an agreement with an international organization. They send schools’ students abroad to finish high school. I was among them. When I was 15, I went to the US to finish high school over there. It was to experience the cultural change and improve my English. I have tried to keep it like that since, but it has been a while. Living in the US and going to a regular high school, you get to compare the movies, and entertainment, to real life.
I lived here with a host family. I learned a lot of American culture in fashion, eating, and education. I notice a lot of gaps in American education to be honest. I was happy with what they put in arts and sports, but, for the rest, I was like “meh.” I went back to Peru to finish my education because university, and otherwise, the US is expensive. I went back to Peru to study communications with a major and specialty in advertising. My initial idea was to develop a career in advertising entirely.
In terms of wanting that career in advertising with that experience, how did that lead into La Petite Mort?
It’s been a journey. In Peru, we finish high school at 16. It is hard when inquiring a 16 or 17- year-old to ask, “What do you want to do as a career?” In my head, at the time, it seemed obvious. The advertising industry seen in the US. It seemed like the world of creativity. I thought that I was going to get to be creative all day. I’m going to get to create and pitch ideas.
And then, you see the reality. It has these positions. Yes, you get to create, but it’s also very commercial. You have to learn that in the real world. I’ve been working for a few years because I’m not sure because, for example, in France it’s different. People after university do their Masters degree. In Peru, you get right to work, and then get a Masters. That led to fashion for me.
What about parental background and family life?
Nothing out of the ordinary. Mom and dad, brother and sister, I’m the youngest. I have a second set of parents. My American parents. I developed a strong relationship with the American family. I was the only child for their case. We bonded a lot. I always say that I have my Peruvian and American parents.
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In-Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.in-sightjournal.com.
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