At the beginning of the semester, I was anxious. Anxious to know what it would be like to study at a higher level and incredibly happy to begin a new stage of my life, but a little scared, afraid of failing and losing out on opportunities (a university scholarship and the support of the Chaco Fund). I doubted my abilities, but with each failure, I learned, and got up with the necessary strength to continue, thanks to the support of my parents, siblings and friends who were always behind me.

As time passed, I began adapting to my new life; it was not an option to give up, so with every challenge I looked for a way to overcome. It has not been easy due to the current moment we are living, with the Covid-19 pandemic that prevents us from performing activities in a normal way, including teaching and learning methods regularly used in education.

During the semester, classes were virtual, which I was prepared for since I had the necessary tools (computer and internet), one more benefit that the Chaco Fund gave me, and for this I will always be grateful. Thus, I was adapting to the new education system, improving my knowledge of technology, as there is nothing that cannot be learned.

One of the obstacles that confronted me was that my whole family, including myself, came down with Covid-19, which affected my studies, but in spite of everything I did not neglect the responsibilities I had and thanks to God, we all managed to overcome the disease.

In this way, I managed to complete the semester, motivated by the goals I have. I learned many things along the way. One of them is that no matter how complicated a circumstance may seem, everything is possible with effort and persistence; these are needed in the continuous struggle I have to fulfill that dream, that goal, which inspires me to face any obstacle, it is difficult YES! But no one said it would be easy. As someone once told me, EVERYTHING WORTH SOMETHING, COSTS SOMETHING!

Growing up (living) in a community, far away from the city, has not only presented me with educational challenges; it has also helped me become aware of the value of a college education. That is why I am honored to be one of the recipients of The Chaco Fund’s Community Leaders Scholarship. Thanks to your generous support, my dream will come true.