I am so excited to be sharing my journey with you! My name is Ella, and I was born in Arizona. I have also lived in North Carolina, Washington and Utah. Most of my childhood was spent in a small town just north of Salt Lake City, Utah, but I would frequently visit family in Washington for the summer and holidays.
Living in Utah, I was lucky to be surrounded by beautiful nature. My family and I often would do outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, fishing, skiing and others. Beyond that, I was involved in local community service projects throughout junior high and high school. I was also on my high school’s speech and debate team.
Through debate, I started learning more about international news, and my passion for world affairs began to grow. In university, I decided to study economics and analytics in order to learn more about how different countries interacted. I interned with an NGO (a non-governmental organization) in Washington D.C., and I knew I wanted to continue working with and for the people. As a result of my experience volunteering, I was recommended to apply for the Peace Corps.
When applying, I was able to specify which country and program I would prefer to be a part of. Due to my background, I was interested in the economic development sector. I chose Moldova because I studied the region in one of my classes, and I wanted to learn more about its history and culture.
