Final Report from a 2009 graduate in Colombia: December 2009 Dear Peggy: Well this is the last of the six reports, so, first of all, I want to begin by telling you that I found this opportunity very interesting, now that having to write my experiences down have made me notice and acknowledge the importance and influence they have had in my life. So, thank you, for helping me see what was there all the while, but I hadn’t gotten the time to process. At the beginning of the year I just lived life as my parents wanted and taught me to live it. I only did the things I was expected to do, like going to school, training golf, doing my homework etc…. I practically lived at my big sister’s shadow, but, then she left, and my world fell apart. I was lost, now that I had no one to open the way for me, no one to advise me, no one to follow, no one to take as an example. It was then, at that moment, that I had a “wake up call” and I realized that I had to start to do things for myself. I started the routine I had had when my sister was with me, but I soon started realizing that there were some things I wanted to change about my life. For example, one day I saw that I had never actually enjoyed playing golf, I just enjoyed my sister’s company so much, that I didn’t care. So I decided to leave it. I decided to start doing things for me, things that I enjoyed, like cooking, but without forgetting the good things that I had learned from those experiences I was leaving behind. Apart from these changes in my life, I also started to learn some new things at my studies. Through these months I learned what I think was the most important lesson of the year, and that is the responsibility. I used to study because I had to. I hadn’t really understood the true meaning of studying, and so I didn’t like anything that had to do with school. After this time I have had to reflect about it, I now know, that if I study I don’t do it to please or favor anyone. I do it for my self, for my future and for my own benefit. And that, I think, was a very important discovery because I started to want to learn and to be more responsible about my studies. Once I understood this, I saw that it was actually fun to challenge my self and try to get ahead when I was behind and, it all could be fun instead of being monotonous and boring. I understood that learning can be either fun or boring, but that it is up to me. So, I think all this processes I have been through in the past months, have been important for me to prepare for whatever it is to come in the future. Though some sacrifices and yes, many mistakes were made, I guess it was all necessary for me to grow up and mature, for me to move forward and learn new things and finally grow up to be a good person, that helps others, which is, in my opinion more important than anything else. ~Daniela, 2009 graduate, Bogotá, Colombia