Azucena López ‘15 from Costa Rica

“UWC will always be marked in my heart because it was the place where I was able to discover that dreams can surpass limits and boundaries." - Azucena López ‘15

When I hear the word UWC the first thing that comes to mind is the feeling of home where I personally grew up and the place that saw me grow up for two years. Two years usually sounds like a long time but in reality, that time is reduced to little by all the wonderful experiences lived, whether good or not so good; but the not so good experiences, in the end, end up being the best experiences because you learn from them and they shape you until you become the person you are today. UWC will always be marked in my heart because it was the place where I was able to discover that dreams can exceed limits and boundaries.

I met people so different from me but who in themselves ended up being so similar because we all pursued the same dream. A common dream but with different paths to take, UWC is the synonym of opportunities, it is the first door you open to enter a world full of wonderful surprises.

 

After 6 years I am back in the place where I grew up and loved in that short time and the feeling of happiness is enormous, passing the gates I can transport myself to the time when I used to be a student, that time where I met with my friends and members of the staff where the memories of all those smiles and shared moments still live on each of the campus walls.

 

Regardless of the position I hold, I am back and it fills me with happiness to see how the campus has changed, to see the students enjoying this experience, and to see myself reflected in them. It fills me with joy to see the students fight for their goals, to hear that they want to study and where they want to go makes me happy to be able to share with them and see them enjoy everyone.

 

Of course, words are not enough for me to express everything I feel, but thanks to UWC and all those people who supported me and I was with me, I am today.

 

My advice to my co-years, early years, and to everyone else is to keep fighting despite adversity. It may not be easy but it is not impossible, a person with perseverance is stronger than all those falls that occur in life and there are many ways to fulfill our dreams if one does not work, we must try another and so on, the important thing is to fulfill our goal. Not only one path is correct, but there are also thousands of paths we can take.

 

And tomorrow and always I will see UWC as my second home to which I will always have a lot of affection.

 

Un abrazo,

Azucena López '15