Four years ago I came to FIU with nothing but hope and excitement about finally being able to study at a university in the US. Pursuing my degree in Marine Biology was a big dream I had been chasing for the past 10 years. I only wanted to focus on getting field experience, interning at labs, and becoming a top scientist. Little did I know that my priorities would change as soon as I joined the office of Global Learning.

 

Initially, I was skeptical about becoming a "global learner" because I thought there wouldn't be a place for me, a science major, in a program that sounded to be reserved for social or political sciences. But I was very mistaken. The second I went to my first Tuesday Times Roundtables I knew I made the right decision. By participating in discussions alongside other fellows in the program, I became more aware of FIU's effort toward inclusive leadership and building a sense of awareness among students about different global perspectives. 

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Perhaps a breakthrough moment in my career, whilst committing to FIU's Global Learning Program was when I completed my capstone (Sea turtle hatching success research project). Whilst carrying out research abroad, in a very small town in Mexico, I became fully aware of the reality I live in Miami. There were days when we had no water and no electricity. During these days (which were more common than the others), I had to be creative and find ways to continue collecting data and serving the local community. This is a harsh reality that many people face in the community, and that represents a big part of the population worldwide. One time, a big tide destroyed our hatchery and we lost everything. Reinventing myself and not giving up were lessons that motivated me to continue fighting against poaching, and bring back valuable information to the scientific community.  In short words, the opportunity that FIU gave me to live in Mexico for almost three months was life-changing. 

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Furthermore, participating at the FIU in D.C fly-in seminars allowed me to meet so many talented FIU students, and I can say I made connections for life. Through the seminars, I learned skills like policy making, presentation, networking and advocacy. Bringing what I learned in Washington back home, means I am able to fight for what I believe in and support others along the way.

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In the whole, becoming a global citizen is something that I didn't expect to do during my time at FIU. Without really noticing it, I started to take part in talks, conferences and experiences that allowed me to open my eyes, meet people, and question my decisions, to be an inclusive leader who understands how the world works. I became part of a community that pushes each other to be their best, and carries the flag of their own nation together with FIU's spirit. My global learning experience made me realize that we're just a tiny part of this planet, but if we get together, we can make it go round.

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