I remember doodling through grade school in the last pages of my school journals, distracted from any course material and instead captivated by my drawing of the moment. The only exception to this were my art classes: there I listened, furiously scribbling every note as I tried to ensure I didn’t miss any piece of information that could make my work better. At thirteen I decided I wanted to be an architect, but little by little I realized my interests aligned more perfectly with graphic design.
Making the decision to move to the United States was not easy. The move implied leaving friends, family, comfort and security behind, and I eventually even enrolled in business classes. Ultimately, I realized that the opportunity to study abroad was a privilege I could not afford to waste and I dropped my business classes and took the plunge.
I arrived in Boston full of big hopes and dreams, anxious to start crafting my new life on my own terms. My first three years were not easy; the ability to create my ideal life came with a responsibility for my own happiness. Overwhelmed, I found myself losing myself to an unhealthy lifestyle until I reached a newfound low that wasn’t easy to recover from.
Destitute, I returned home to find myself again and to decide what I truly valued and how I envisioned my future. After three years I felt prepared to come back to close this chapter of my life and prepare myself for the next step.