How I became interested in my area of study/research/discipline:
Since I was a little girl, I always appreciated and admired different cultures and wanted to learn the English language. Coming from Brazil where people speak Portuguese, I always wanted to understand what English-speaking rock singers such as U2, Pearl Jam, Iron Maiden, Guns and Roses, etc. sung on their music. This led me to learn English and be very interested about other cultures. I had always been interested and curious about how people from other parts of the world think about the same situations and problems that people in my country think. For this reason, I decided to study International Business and International Studies. Finally, I realized that people think different depending on their circumstances, background, cultures, history and religion.

An honor, achievement or accomplishment is most meaningful to me and why:
The most meaningful accomplishment on my life was to finish school and receive a Master’s degree. This was very important and meaningful to me because it was something that I always wanted to accomplish. And, it was not easy. It needed dedication, focus on the future, hard work and many sleepless nights, and I had to give up many other things in order to achieve this goal. However, at the end, everything was worthwhile.

Someone I admire:
I admire a variety of people on their own peculiar way in life. The list would be too long and would not fit over here.

Someone who has been influential or had a significant impact on my life:
An uncle, because he always told me the things that nobody else was brave enough to tell me.

Most favorite/least favorite memory as a student:
My most favorite memory as a student was to meet and interact with international students from all around the world and learn about their cultures, religions, and history. My least favorite memory as a student was to receive a “D” in a class. However, I learned my lesson.

An important life lesson I have learned:
Never give up on your dreams and always believe in yourself, because you are capable to do everything you want, and I really mean everything you want. However, be careful because everything you do in life has a payoff, either good or bad things. For example, if you do bad things, bad things will happen to you. If you always do the good, good things will eventually happen to you. There is no luck in life. Everything reflects the way you acted in the past. Whatever you planted in the past you will harvest in the future.

A favorite quote or saying:

For everything there is a season, a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time for peace

This quote is very meaningful to me because it shows that there is a time for everything on life. For example, when I was sad I used to read this quote and realized that my sadness was not going to last forever. It was going to be over someday soon. Or, when I had to study hard or write a challenging paper, I used to read the quote and realize that I had to study now in order to acquire a degree later.

My hopes for the world:
I hope that different nations and people in the world can understand each other; therefore we could live in a world with NO wars and NO poverty.