thoughts & notes

Being that I am the product of two immigrants, all I thought of as a child was being successful and achieving the ‘American dream'. I always held on to the hope that this dream would one day become a reality, despite uncertainty. I am the first in my family to have the opportunity to seek higher education in the United States. I owe this to my parents, who emigrated from Cuba to give me a better life. At a very young age, I would always strive to be my best to make my parents proud. From contributing to my school’s yearbook in 5th grade to working on projects in my local community throughout high school—I have always tried to be involved. 

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Coming to Florida International University, I knew I had to take advantage of the opportunities that came my way. I decided to enroll in Mandarin language courses during my first year. I was intrigued to learn about other cultures outside of my Hispanic culture, which I have come to know very well. As I learned the intricacies of writing the characters and understanding the different pronunciations, I developed a passion for learning new languages. This prompted my enrollment into the Global Learning Medallion program. I was already learning about the Chinese culture but to further my development of a global leader, i needed the curriculum and events incorporated in the program. 

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After four semesters of practicing Mandarin, my curiosity grew, leading to my first step on a plane to the other side of the world: China. During my experience abroad, I was able to live with a host family which allowed me to practice my Mandarin and get a taste of the Chinese way of life. Having the opportunity to gain insight into the workings of the Chinese government, and the impact the international community has on it, sparked my interest in foreign service. I not only discovered my passion for learning languages, but I was thrilled to be interacting with people from different cultures which influenced my later travels to Japan, Hong Kong, and Qatar.

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Upon my return home, I had the opportunity to join the Bandhwari Women’s project, a social corporate responsibility project, spearheaded by my organization, aimed at benefiting the women of a small village in India.  I had the chance to travel to the village and see for myself how much we were impacting the women and children through the efforts we made. I wished that I had the opportunity to see this at a larger scale which lead to my enrollment in the Peace Corps Prep program. I want to one day join the Peace Corps to help people have the same opportunities that I was so privilege to have. 

 

I had the international experience, but I knew that I needed to see what it was like to fill the role of being a leader who serves as a voice for their people. Therefore, I interned with the Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington D.C. and now recently for Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. At the Embassy, I was able to see how the Ambassador dealt with issues directly involving her people and external actors.  At the district office of Congresswoman, I see a similar scenario but on a smaller scale dealing directly with the American people. 

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My goal for the future is to one day become a Foreign Service Officer (FSO). The Global Learning Medallion Program and Peace Corps Prep Program gave me the foundation I need to succeed in my future endeavors. Connecting with individuals through this program as well as the curriculum will help me gain insight into what I will experience in my career. I will be bringing in my leadership and knowledge attained from internships, study abroad, service trips, and school involvement into my graduate program that I will start this fall.  

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