I did not choose to be born in Colombia; I was LUCKY I was born here. Every time I come to Colombia after being abroad for some time I realize how much I love it and along with that, how much I want to do to make it better. I represent a very small group in Colombia’s population; I have had an incredible set of opportunities and challenges that hardly anyone in the world has had. I have been educated as a “citizen of the world”, my traveling has not been for leisure, but more importantly with the purpose of creating a young woman that understands the world, critically analyzes different cultures with complete open-mindedness, and most of all, keeps in mind her origins.

I have been away from home and without my parents for different lengths of time ever since I was eight. It is hard to count the trips abroad, summer camps, service trips, and international experiences I have had, but I can tell you that from them I have gained a new perspective of how to make things work. Dwelling with different environments every 3 months makes you understand different types of people, ways of working, ways of leading, and it teaches you that there is always more to learn. I do not simply fit in one category, I belong to the “geeky” kids, I belong to the ultra-sporty ones with no time in their schedules, I belong to the socially responsible, the musical ones, and the ones with lots of friends.

Global upbringing has been for me: an inner transformation. The last four years of my high school have been the most responsible for this. I alternated between a boarding school in Switzerland, a day school in Colombia, and summers in the US. These last four years have made me renew my standard on how I evaluate society, the world, and myself. It has made things harder in every way because I became passionate about wanting to change the world, and I need the best education to do this. I want to become a civil engineer, a profession I know I have love and craze for, but with the purpose of helping people in my country. I want to bring a true global perspective everywhere I go, starting from where I study, to where I will work, and to where I will live. I want to help people understand what the have that is valuable, but what they are missing. I want to be a leader in changing the mentality of people through engineering, only because I understand the true power and reaching possibilities of this profession.

It certainly is a challenge for me, but one that I am willing to undertake and work for. I know how lucky I have been, but I understand the responsibility to give something back. I want to influence and extend engineering starting in my home country, to grow even more internationally, and to help others do the same.