The first time I visited the East Coast was for a national competition in Washington, D.C during my junior year of high school. After discovering different architecture and landscape, I wished to see more of the world. During my sophomore year in college, I volunteered on a medical brigade in Nicaragua because I thought I wanted to become a dentist. I realized that although providing medical assistance to an under-served community is important, the community would always be reliant on outside help unless the root causes of their illnesses were treated. For example, people will always end up with parasites in their stomachs unless their water source is clean and available. Afterward, I explored cenotes and pyramids in Mexico with my siste. I realized the effects tourism has on the natural environment. These two trips helped me realize that I wanted to study environmentalism and poverty.
This past summer, I conducted research with the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, which helps under-represented college students pursue a Ph.D. My research was about the effects of Shasta Dam on Chinook salmon and the Winnemem Wintu tribe in Redding, California. It was my first time conducting resarch. It was a lot of fun! One day I wish to pursue a Ph.D., though I'm still unsure what I will specialize in.
In my junior year of college, I traveled alone for the first time and visited Chicago, New York City, London, Barcelona, Paris, and Iceland! Now, I am ready to fully immerse myself in another country for four months during my study abroad in Seoul, South Korea.
