Meet Touleen Akoum, a 24-year-old from Lebanon. In 2022, she moved to France because of the difficult situation in her home country. After earning her bachelor’s degree in programming, she wanted to find her true passion. She decided to move to a new country to start her master’s degree, hoping to find her purpose and build a successful life.
A Big Change in Nancy
Her journey started in Nancy, a small city in France. This was a very hard time for Touleen because she grew up speaking English and did not know any French. In Lebanon, she was very active with the Red Cross and loved the sunny weather. In Nancy, the weather was often gray and rainy. Living alone in a new place was a big challenge, but she learned how to be 100% independent. She had to manage many new emotions and miss her family, but she stayed strong and kept moving forward with her life.
From Code to Luxury
Studying programming in English was too expensive, so Touleen decided to change her path. She chose to study Management in Luxury and Design. At first, she felt out of place because her classmates knew a lot about fashion brands. She worried she made the wrong choice. However, she worked hard and started to enjoy her classes. Her teachers inspired her with their stories of success. She realized that every new thing she learned helped her grow. She stayed focused on improving herself and soon felt more comfortable in the world of business and luxury.
The Path to Paris
A New Start in the Capital
After applying to over 80 companies, Touleen finally found a marketing internship in Paris. Her internship was away from the luxury world. She was very excited to move to the big city. Her coworkers were friendly, and the company had an international atmosphere. She worked very hard, and her boss soon gave her more responsibilities because they trusted her.
Finding the Spark Again
During her internship, Touleen did such a great job that the company offered her a two-year work-study program. This gave her the “spark” she needed. She decided to find a master’s program that would help her become an expert in marketing, a field she is now very passionate about. She is for the first time now since a long time passionate about the master’s she is taking “Digital Marketing” as she can see where her studies will take her now and she can see a clear future for her career at least 2 years from now.
Conclusion
Today, Touleen continues to follow her passion with the help of her studies. She is learning how to manage a brand and lead projects. Every day, she improves her skills and thinks about her future. Her big dream is to use everything she has learned to open her own business one day. She is proud to be building her dream in the heart of Paris. And using every single advise she can take from her managers to improve her skills more.