Hola viajeros (Hello travelers)! I’m Daniela, but you can call me Dani. My family and I are originally from a small town in Colombia called Yarumal. My family's hometown gets its name from the Yarumo trees, which are abundant and tall. You can spot them easily among other trees since their leaves turn white and make them stand out. When I was about 7 years old, my family and I moved to New York, where instead of Yarumo trees, the tallest things in the sky were buildings and bridges. I quickly fell in love with the fresh breeze in Coney Island and the squirrel races in Prospect Park, but what I loved the most was all the friends I made from all over the world. I learned that there were more than the two languages I knew at home, and there were kids who, just like me, were experiencing a whole new world.
This is why when I went to college, I decided I wanted to work with students who were also experiencing a new world for the first time. I graduated with a degree in Bilingual Education and went off to teach 3rd-grade students in Dual Language programs. After a few years, I decided to venture abroad and experience a new world again. I now find myself in Guatemala and live with an indigenous Mayan host family while I fulfill my two-year service with the Peace Corps. I hope to share more of my adventures with you.
Want to learn how to be a Peace Corps Volunteer like me? The Peace Corps is an international service network of volunteers, community members, host country partners, and staff who are driven by the agency’s mission of world peace and friendship. At the invitation of governments around the world, Peace Corps Volunteers work alongside community members on locally-prioritized projects. Learn how you can #ServeBoldy with the Peace Corps.
