Victor Potinga

UWC attended: Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific (Canada)
Class Year: Class of 2017

Hey, curious learner. If you made it this far navigating the Lewis & Clark website, then maybe this college is for you? My name is Victor and I was born in Moldova-heaven on earth. Despite being a city boy, I grew well accustomed to the traditions and the rural way of living. My family tried to expose me to as many details as possible of their rural roots. As a result, I am still attracted by the joys of the rural life. The UWC experience I had allowed me to stay connected to nature and to form family-like bonds with learners from all around the world.

Pearson College was the place that allowed me to explore, master and fail. Now, as I look back, I realize how wonderful it was to explore new territories of my mind, how sweet it was to master something like recycling, or putting a tent up, or performing a roll, but the change-making ones were the total failures with which I will not indulge your curiosity. I learned so much and I must admit it and shout it.

To be frank with you, I have no idea how I got to go to Pearson College. It was a true miracle.  Period. I had to wait for a year before beginning my UWC experience because of a volcano located in Iceland. You see, the ashes of the volcano delayed flights in Europe in the spring of 2010 for quite awhile, so when the selection committee landed in Moldova, it was too late to enroll in the coming fall. Nevertheless, while at Pearson, I experienced a good part of the greatest moments of my life.

When leaving Pearson, my kayaking instructor, also known as the chemistry teacher and a man who had two enormous dogs, told me that at University I was going to have “some of the best years” of my life. I expect just that from Lewis & Clark College. I expect to meet movie lovers. I expect to go kayaking with those who love the sea and the rivers and any form of God given water source. I expect to learn in and especially out of class by discussing the new ideas I am faced with. I know that so many people here will have great impact on me. I know that by offering me the chance to come here, the admission staff has chosen bright, curious, passionate learners who will improve the quality of life of those around them. However, the decision to apply here was more of an instinct rather than an arrival at a logical conclusion. The conclusion will come the day I graduate.

My academic plans follow the route of international relations studies and that of the study of foreign languages, in particular French. I will definitely join a language intensive program as the college provides terrific study abroad opportunities for every student preference. Before then, I will enjoy the best city in the United States of America: Portland, OR.