My college campus is in Indiana, but I had the opportunity to study in China and Thailand, too. Studying East and Southeast languages in local contexts was a highlight of my college experience!
At DePauw, I loved learning how people around the world understand and interact with their local environments and how this differs from American approaches. Through study abroad, internships and the friendships and working relationships I formed with international students on campus, I was able to develop a well-rounded global perspective. This ultimately enhanced my understanding of how important human and cultural considerations are to environmental work. Environmental issues, like climate change, impact all countries and, in turn, require global teamwork and problem solving. This knowledge, along with my desire to help create a more sustainable future, is part of what motivated my Peace Corps journey!
After two years working in the technology consulting industry in Indiana, I made the decision to move to the Philippines as an environmental volunteer. My mom’s family is from Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, so I was excited to connect with my heritage. Although I have grown up eating Filipino foods and learning about the country’s culture, it was not until this year that I got to experience it firsthand.
For the next two years, I will be working on coastal resource management in the rural province of Antique, meaning that I will support environmentally-friendly fishing practices! I live right between the mountains and the ocean, so every day I enjoy sunset runs and bike rides up to visit mountain streams.
