I was born and raised in Cusco, Peru, at 3,500m above sea level, and the mountains have always been present in my life. Oh yeah, I do know about “Kuzco” from The Emperor’s New Groove, and throughout my two years at UWC in Armenia, people have sung the intro song to me in several different languages, and I must say, it is quite a topic when I introduce myself. Throughout my life, I traveled a lot within Peru, but the foreign remained unknown to me until my UWC experience started in Dilijan, where I found the clear night skies filled with stars and the smell of wet soil after rain very familiar, yet, found myself alone in a continent unimaginably far away from home. However, throughout these two years, I have learned to call Armenia my home as well. I have hiked its incredibly beautiful mountains and breathed its pure air to the top of my lungs, for which I am grateful.
The exceptional opportunity of living in the Caucasus has shown me the kindness of its people, richness of its culture, and tastefulness of its food; as well as the struggles of land that faces long-lasting conflicts with its neighboring countries, that has experienced the ethnic cleansing of its people, and until the day, disputes a war to which many have lost their lives. When I am asked about what the best part of UWC is, my answer is always the same: the people. I can confidently say that it is here where I have found friendships that will last for life - the people who made me learn and grow outside of my comfort zone.
Being so far away from home has been a major challenge, but it has allowed me to visit places like the UK, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, and Georgia over the school breaks. These showed me diverse cultures and societies, but most importantly, they drew my attention towards the various and different social problems each of them faces. I was already interested in studying Sociology, and traveling has only intensified this desire and has helped me choose the path I want to take (as of now) at Lewis & Clark.
I discovered about Lewis & Clark through friends that I made in Dilijan. And as soon as I got to know more about its location, programs, and the international community, I fell in love. I believe Lewis & Clark is where I am to become the best version of myself, making the best out of the opportunities I am given, and applying all the knowledge and skills I acquired at UWC.
In my free time, I enjoy doing sports, but I like learning new sports even more. Although, I do have to say that football (sorry, “soccer”) is my personal favorite. I also enjoy playing the ukulele once in a while and have recently found a taste for cooking. But, I must also admit that hanging out with friends is something I deeply value, a reason for which I am definitely looking forward to discovering Lewis & Clark and Portland, and I am overly excited about all the memories yet to be made.