Sonia Zavaleta

YGA Autumn Summit

2016-04-07T12:12:00.003-07:00

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to attend the Youth Goodwill Ambassadors of Denmark Autumn Summit, in which we had one special guest, RH Prince Joachim of Denamrk.It was such a great experience to meet him and it was so impressive how inspiring he is. I am in the middle of a big 1-week exam but I promise I will further elaborate on this story next week ;) wish me luck in my exam jejeje ....

There is a link from the Danish Royal Family website so you can read more about it :)

Prince Joachim on Denmark at the International Talent Conference 2016 YGA

The Rights of the Youth!

2015-11-12T09:10:00.001-08:00

Hej everyone!!

I wanted to share my article regarding the rights of the youth. This was an initiative in alliance with the Europæisk Ungdom Nordjylland / European Youth Nord, an organisation I joined not long ago; its purpose is promoting and defending the European values (Equality, Democracy, Peace, Rule of law, Liberty, Tolerance, Respect for human dignity and social inclusion) in Northern Denmark. Besides being the protectors of the European values, the organization on a European level, is fighting for a more democratic and close ties amongst EU citizens.

My article was published by the Nordjyske newspaper 10.11.2015 and it is quite exciting because it makes me feel empowered, it clearly shows that our opinions can be heard and exposed to the public (even if we are not in our home countries). Since it was published in Danish language, I also have an English version on it, and I am sharing it below with all of you !! :)

Needless to say, if you wish to become a member of European Youth Nord and get involved within our mandate, or want to know more about how we work and what we do, do not hesitate to contact me, I am going to be sharing more experiences within this experience.

This is the facebook link

https://www.facebook.com/groups/182524402439/?fref=ts

and twitter

https://twitter.com/eudanmark

"The importance of understanding your rights"

By, Sonia Zavaleta

I firmly believe that human rights are extremely powerful and present in our global era, they represent our fundamental privileges and freedoms, they identify us as human beings regardless legal membership of state, sex, religion, race, income, etc.; however, human rights also represent our obligations and duties. It is crucial to understand human rights from an individual as well as a collective perspective since the basic notion of human rights lies on the recognition that we need to care about the rights of others.

The international Law of Youth Rights highlights the importance of youth within the decision-making process; the world is failing granting us, young people, some of our fundamental rights so that we can live a dignified life; for instance, I come from a country where the right of education is not fulfilled, education is considered a “luxury” regardless our intellectual capabilities; furthermore, it is nearly impossible to find a job even though we have university degrees. According to the 2015 World Labour Organisation report, six out of ten jobs available to young professionals in Latin America are in the informal economy, which means that youth are lacking stability, career opportunities and access to labour rights. Rachel Jackson highlights that "our youth are not failing the system; the system is failing our youth. Ironically, the very youth who are being treated the worst are the young people who are going to lead us out of this nightmare.", her rhetoric clearly indicates that there is a cry for help for youth empowerment in order to tackle the issues the world is facing today, and I strongly agree with her.

Nonetheless,we, as the young leaders of tomorrow need to be aware of our fundamental rights and liberties as well as speak up when our rights are being affected. Young people need to have an active participation within the public sphere, for instance, the involvement in politics, non-governmental organizations and civil society sector is important so that we can keep ourselves updated of what is happening around, thus, we must make sure whether our governments are doing enough to ensure our rights.

The Purpose of International Law of Youth Rights is to encourage youth participation within the many areas of development, especially concerning the right of education and opportunities; needless to say, we, as young leaders, need to keep in mind that human rights education is not only about memorizing the bunch of rules and principals we need to respect but it also entails action and behaviour, we need to show the world that we are important, that our rights are a priority; we are the future of our nations and a nation that does not produce, then collapses. I want to finish up this article claiming that nothing should stop us to assume the responsibilities for our future and to speak up for our rights , otherwise, we will not be able to build the society we want.

The Danish Social Model (healthcare)

2015-10-24T03:52:00.005-07:00

One of the things I was aware of before coming to Denmark was the fact that it has one of the more stable models in terms of entitling social security benefits to its citizens regardless their affiliation within the labour market. When I learnt I was coming to Denmark, I knew I was going to be well taken care of, here all citizens have equal rights and social services are free of charge. I feel so proud I am experiencing the Danish educational system (of course I will post a blog about it as my semester progresses). Regarding healthcare, residents of Denmark as me, have a private doctor, whom we can contact when we have any health issues and I knew at some point I was going to use the healthcare system as well (I needed to book an appointment with my doctor because of my stupid joint problems); HOWEVERRR, I had to join a hospital muuuuch sooner than expected!!

I will never forget this anecdote, it has been a month already yet I still remember it as if it took place yesterday!!! A normal Monday, and me riding my awesome bike to the city centre to do my normal duties before my 2 pm class, there is a downhill rode to take from my home (note I was not riding crazy fast, I am a very careful girl) and suddenly, my shoe somehow slipped with the pedal, leaning my body forward and unable to hand-break because of my useless joints (they get really numb and sored every morning because of past problems --I had the Chickungunya Fever on July before coming to Europe and joint pain is an aftermath of it, unfortunately, buuuut that is another story--- also the Nordic cold weather does not help either)!!

Long story short: My tiny body swept the downhill road, ended up landing below a car smashing it with my head and pelvis (as far as I remember)

Result post accident? injured knees, disgusting horrible-looking wounds, overstretched thighs and bruised hips

Bike condition after the accident: A totally useless twisted front wheel, more and less damaged basket, yet the rest remained in good condition.

My first reaction was to try to stand up, however, I was unable to do so! Some people saw everything (of course it was super embarrassing) and tried to lift me up, but of course they couldn´t, therefore, I was invited to an ambulance ride and rushed to the hospital, once there they made tons of x-rays to exclude major damages on my head and dismiss the possibility of having a broken pelvis. Luckily, I was "okey" in terms of "not broken bones nor damaged head", however, they told me this could have been much worse. I am again so grateful to have my friends with me, they never left me alone and it is very special to feel their love and support!

Now I am fully recovered, my bike is fixed, and as I said before, if you come to study in Denmark, no matter how safe you feel, you are not exempt from these type accidents. I am speaking based on my own experience yet more students also have gone through same situations, nonetheless, you will never be left alone, the system guarantees welfare and you don´t have to pay anything back, hospitals have excellent facilities and most of the doctors/nurses/administrative staff speak English, so you have nothing to worry about; however, just try not to end up visiting hospitals without planning to do so, as me ;) ... In any case, a piece of advise for the ones reading this post, please wear a helmet if possible, always and I stress it aaaaaaaaaalways use front and back lights when riding at night (I am going to be serious on this one), I have heard many horrible stories about it!!! Anyways you don´t want to get any hilariously high fine for not having your bike lights, do you??? and bring your documents with you even if you are not going far away (residence permit card and CPR) !!

That´s all for today!!!

cheers :D

Scholarship Issues? =(

2015-10-21T14:23:00.004-07:00

I cannot believe we are half way through the semester, my studies are going really well and I am really excited about my big project, I will write about it in a different post, though ;). A lot has happened since i moved to Denmark, and as I mentioned before, I came here thanks to an Erasmus Mundus scholarship. However, having a scholarship does not imply that our lives will be much easier!! When people ask me why I applied to scholarship I reply the following:

Education is considered a luxury in El Salvador, if you have money then you can go to school, it is just as simple as that!!! (unless you find yourself a scholarship) and even though most of us don´t have financial means to afford education in our countries, nor even in a foreign country, our dreams and goals remain alive, and they encourage us to fight for these opportunities, which are not easy to achieve. It took me three years to get this scholarship award, and now that I finally get it I never thought I also had to face some unexpected hurdles.

Scholarships are not supposed to be paid back nor cut into percentages, (note that I am speaking on behalf of the Global UGRAD grant, which I was part of in 2011-2012 and EM grant, the one I have now) yet in this case, somehow being Salvadoran is playing against me. I was notified my scholarship is not free from taxation, I of course was very shocked!! and when asking the reason behind this is? then again, My Nationality :( Yes!! Indeed!! I never expected this, it is very disappointing that my country does not have a bilateral agreement with Denmark, and therefore I have to give the 38% of my total scholarship. I believe it is very unfair, especially when most of your scholarship out of tax goes towards your rent, it is nearly impossible to live by a couple of hundreds of Danish Krone, and the fact that I don´t speak the local language makes it more difficult to find a student job.

I am extremely disappointed with this news but I will not let this take over me, I am determined to find a solution to this inconvenience; it is of course unfair that my Erasmus Mundus friends have no issues with their scholarships because their governments have bilateral agreements with the Danish government but I am also hopeful that something can be sorted out.

I won´t give up, though, a positive attitude during hardships is a good point of departure, and it is also healthy to keep smiling, even throughout low moments. I will keep everyone posted regarding this because I am sure more Erasmus Mundus international students coming to Denmark might have to face the very same issue on the near future if their government happens not to have this agreement!!!

Wish me luck and hugs from Denmark !

Youth Goodwill Ambassador in Denmark

2015-09-23T13:12:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone, I wanted to share that I was selected as Youth Godwill Ambassador in Denmark, an initiative of Copenhagen Capacity, which is the entity that makes this possible. I feel so honoured to represent Aalborg University as well as share my life experience in Denmark so far!

I am also pending my blog about the differences between Danish and Salvadoran education systems. I will do that later, though, I am too tired to write jajaja

My new life

2015-09-08T04:25:00.001-07:00

2015 was a year full of ups and downs regarding both professional and personal aspects; it has taught me so much about my country and how we strive to get ahead everyday, and therefore, now I value three times more what I had in my previous life back home and what I have now, in my new life stage. It makes me sad and impotent to know what we have become as a country and the rest yet to come, it makes me sad I was never able to go cycling or swimming because of fear of ending up in the wrong place/time and therefore, expose myself in the middle of cross-fire struggle between police and gang members, it makes me sad my parents cannot go to work because public transportation is paralyzed, It makes me sad to remember waking up by shot guns outside the neighbourhood, but it also makes me sadder millions of people (including my family) are still under the same conditions.

I have always believed that hard work and determination pays off, regardless where you live. I am from a country stormed by the huge issue of violence and insecurity; even riding the bus to go to work was something I used to fear everyday. My former job was never my favourite, honestly, I threaded it; however, I will never regret about former experiences because those shaped me as a professional. I now know the real face of private companies and what private sector workers can go through, because I lived it! On the bright side, though, private sector companies are sources of jobs for many young Salvadorans, so at least I had a job, and even though it was such a painful 6 months working within horrible conditions, I am aware that you can also reach further opportunities if you know where to look and how to do it.

It has been a month since I moved to Denmark, and it has been such a wonderful experience. How did I end up here?I was awarded a scholarship to study my masters degree in Aalborg University; I look back 4 months ago and I still cannot believe it !! it is amazing to be given this opportunities after 3 attempts, and even though there is so much work to do, it is quite nice to be a student after 3 years =)

I am fully motivated and look forward to thrive, and I think this is the evidence that you can achieve what you want if you truly desire it. I must highlight that Danish educational system is very different and challenging, however, I strongly believe that I will somehow manage to get through it. I will be talking about it in a separate post since there are INMENSE differences between El Salvador and Denmark´s educational/working systems (mostly about differences regarding education).

Hugs from Denmark

Some fotos of 2015

House of Respresntatives , Costa Rica

My classmates Aalborg Universitet

Danish stunning lanscape

Honour to have conversations with Ambassador of Colombia in El Salvador and US Consul General

El Salvador team at Costa Rica tour 2015.

US Embassy Independence Day :) alumni ambassadors

Olympic Day, triathlon friends :D

Helsinki cathedral, August

Suommelina Island, August 2015

I love Finland :)

new amazing people

friends

Aalborg mayor and AAU rector :)

Marcha por la Paz y la Justicia #ElSalvador #PorLaPazSV

2015-03-26T16:42:00.001-07:00

So today, I decided to march on my bike to celebrate the "#PeaceDay". On his visit to El Salvador,UN Secretary General claimed : "El Salvador is an example for the world" , I hope today`s iniciative marks the beginning of a new path, a new beginning brightened with hope, justice, equality and respect for rule of law. Even though our country remains still wthin a post-war cycle, peace is still far from being reached. Nonetheless, if we all speak up for our rights and commit ourselves to work together to restore prosperity and fight violence through peaceful ways, perhaps El Salvador starts walking a different track.

International Women`s Day 2015

2015-03-06T08:20:00.004-08:00

Message from UN Secretary General regarding International Women`s Day. It makes me remember two years ago I was spreading the same message to young people at schools and universities in El Salvador.

Congratulations Global UGRAD 2015-2016 fellows!

2015-03-05T17:20:00.004-08:00

It is my honour to share that last week, I was part of the joint selection committee, along with the Cultural Affairs Officer, Education USA director ,Cultural Specialist at the US Embassy San Salvador and my fellow former UGRADer, for the Global UGRAD scholarship. For the ones who have asked me what this program entails, it is a 6-month/1 year international exchange program in the United States. This prestigious program is funded by the US Department of State and for many years, students from different geographical locations have the opportunity to conduct their studies and foster their academic development in the United States.

It motivates me so much to know the outstanding activities Salvadoran students are currently enrolled to; it truly gives me hope and brings happiness to see how empowered and committed young people are, regardless our social issues. Nonetheless there is so much to be done yet this is a good start. I strongly encourage all young Salvadoreans who are currently within their bachelors degree (and other international students) to give this opportunity a go, I guarantee it will be a life changing experience !

Again, congratulations to our new scholarship holders!

FYI in regards to this program

Quick Overview

"Several organizations administer the Global UGRAD Program on behalf of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Application deadlines vary by program and region. Please visit the program websites below, or contact the U.S. Embassy in your home country, for further details and eligibility requirements.

East Asia and the Pacific - Administered by World Learning

Eurasia and Central Asia - Administered by IREX NOTE: This program is formerly known as the Eurasian Undergraduate Exchange Program

Near East and South Asia - Administered by American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS

Serbia and Montenegro – Administered by World Learning

Pakistan - Administered by IREX

Western Hemisphere - Administered by World Learning"

For more information visit http://exchanges.state.gov/non-us/program/global-undergraduate-exchange-program-global-ugrad

Promoting Civil Society Participation within El Salvador´s Youth

2014-11-03T11:56:00.002-08:00

It is my pleasure to share that It was such an honour to have taken part in this forum, it gave me so much possitivism and enthusiasm for what is yet to be seen in the Salvadoran horizon!! Needless to say, I am very much convinced that the Int´l Community is playing a vital role within this task, their sense of commitment to work for the Salvadoran youth is very strong and I firmly believe that their actions will have a possitive impact to promote development and national growth in every sense.

Let me share you some fotos!

Promoviendo la Participación Ciudadana de las Juventudes Salvadoreñas - PROJUVES

Vicepresident of El Salvador

German Ambassador to El Salvador

Somo of the ideas we came up with regarding public policies

A selfie with the Spanish Ambassador

Three great cooperants and promoters of ESA`s development

"It is about dreaming the impossible" Spaniard Ambassador claimed :)

The European Union Head of Mission in El Salvador talked about EU initiaives targeting the Salvadoran youth

It is such an honour to stand beside these flags

Part of the Diplomatic body and Salvadoran authorities

Feliz de aprender de los grandes!

Hallo Österreich =), und Europa!

2014-10-26T16:23:00.001-07:00

My first EVER European experience came out of the blue! I would have never pictured myself in Austria, Germany and Hungary 3 months ago but I am so happy and grateful I got to see another beautiful spot of this big, but small world.

Radio communication is very important in a peacekeeping mission !!

Awesome team

So yes, the reason I was sent to the Old Continent was a Training Course on Civilian Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding, I was one of the lucky folks who were awarded a scholarship funded by the Austrian Government (Danke, Danke, Dankeeeeeeschuuund for trusting meeee =) !!! ), so that was a big motivator to embark this 3 week journey!

Happy after a long day

The venue was the stunning Peace Castle located in a town called Stadtschlaining, which is in the Burgenland province. I was a bit scared at the beginning since I had never been to Europe before nor never have I ever experienced such an advanced peacekeeping training, specially because of my lack of experience, however, it turned out to be more than just a theoretical matter but I could internalise and experience the actual role of peacekeepers whilst exposed on the field.

Study case !!!

Map reading and radio communication :)

We learnt a variety of skills such as how to act and behave in different situations and areas where peace has been disrupted; moreover, we also analysed the role of IGOs, NGOs, peacekeepers, host societies, civilians, military occupants, etc. when being exposed in risky, vulnerable or post-conflict areas. Last but not least, we learnt how to act within our mission mandates! One of IPT goals is "enhancing desirable personal attitudes, stressing the importance of active involvement in the host society and promoting a reflective and critical approach", therefore, there is a strong attachment between myself and every theorethical and practical experience gained whilst taking part in this trainning, specially, because I live in a country that is going through a ongoing, yet still rough, transitional period since the civil war in the 80s!

lectures :)

Mine Field exersice!!!!

Some other skills leant during this training were radio communication, map reading, stress and conflict management and surviving mine fields. Believe it or not, those are important when being deployed for a mission! The most exciting part was the 4x4 driving exercise, which consisted in driving a 4x4 wheeled car in hazardous environments, Finally, we got to see beautiful cities such as Oberwart and Vienna, which are full of culture and history! My friends and me also toured Szombathely, Hungary and I spent some hours in Frankfurt, Germany!

Radio Communication theory

Practising some mediation !!

Overall, Europe was a such a meaningful experience in all senses and I really wish to go back, either for masters, another related course or an internship, that would be AMAZINGGGGGGG, I made so many friends from all over the world but at the same time, I reunited with old friends from my last exchange program in Montana (how cooler could have this experience been ????!!!).

Big thanks to my parents, who always support me in all ways, my professors and lecturers, whom I learnt so much from, my advisors, the Austrian Gov´t ,obviously!! :), and ALL my lovely friends who came across my path, and whom I had so much fun with. It would not have been a success without all your support and guidance!!

Hungary

Finally, for those who have asked me how and when to apply, just visit this website and stay tuned with the next call for applications regarding IPT,,, good luck in advance :)

http://www.aspr.peacecastle.eu/

More pictures belowwww, enjoyyyyy !!!!

OSCE Officer mission was a success

I was so honoured to be a OSCE Officer for a day!

ASPR card :)

Watch out everyone ;) jajja

Me expressing my gratefulness after such an amazing course

My study place :)

My Bozeman friends Greta and Eric :D

Girls can also change huge tires ;)

I love EU and Austria

Bike ride in Vienna !!

Yeaaah, I drove these 2 4x4 Machines jejjejjeje ;)

Triatlón Internacional Fiestas Julias

2014-07-13T17:41:00.002-07:00

Hi my dear friends!

I raced the most important tri of the year, it is a very special one for many reasons: Firstly, it is held in my hometown, secondly, it reminds me my teenage years and thirdly, it honoured one of the best athletes in El Salvador, I am talking about Mr. David Miranda, who was amongst the greatest cyclists Santa Ana has ever had.

The race took place at Lago de Coatepeque and the swim was all about "surviving a human-washing machine" the first 300 meters! I placed myself behind my teammate but was quickly dropped after some guys pushed me down the water. I found myself with some guys and 3 girls from Guatemala at the end of the swim. In the bike I surprisingly felt very strong in the 3.5k hill and as always, I had to ride the entire 20 kms solo, I was between the 1st pack of boys and the chasing packs, who were behind me but never caught me either! The run felt pretty nice and smooth, I knew I was running well and never looked back, a girl from Guatemala was the closest one but I had a big gap so I was very calm! I timed around 19 mins in 5k :)

After race, I went straight to my home to see the final match, both teams were awesome though Germans deserved to win, they were my favourite European team. Congrats to Argentina for the outstanding performance as well!

Thank you for your support, I had a lovely day!

When will we restore peace?

2014-07-10T20:17:00.002-07:00

I think this is a very ambiguous question ... Even though int´l community claims peace, leaders negotiate it, and armies fight for it, possitive outcomes at greater scale are not yet seen.... Mmmm, to be honest, It is quite difficult to say so, specially, whilst watching what has been going on around the world, and in El Salvador, of course!

I suddenly run into this video, which is the Mongolian National Anthem, sung by lovely kids! Its lyrics express there needs to be respect amongst nations and peoples, it is very beautiful and inspiring!

What triggered Dark Ages?

2014-07-06T11:29:00.001-07:00

I always knew my country was located in one of the most active geologhical areas on earth. In fact, we are full of volcanos, volcanic lakes and hotsprings. However, I find this video fascinating and scary at the same time!

First Half 2014

2014-07-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

I know how that sounds, it is certainly unbelievable how fast time flies by, but what I can be certain about is that 2014 has been quite possitive and remarkable. When it comes to sport, I have had great experiences through racing; in fact, I have gotten unexpected outcomes regardless my lack of training and my new "non-pressure-have-fun-phylosophy". I realised that the least pressured you feel, the more fun you have and the better the result tends to be; I did not think about that 5 years ago, when I found myself injured, sick and worn out of the sport´s pressure. Indeed, I can proudly say I feel happy with what I have accomplished and sometimes I even think I can still be competitive at a high level, and if I wanted, I could still be fully dedicated to sport, but to be honest, I feel detached from that person who used to think about triathlon 24/7. Now I have new goals, new life perspectives and dreams in regards to my professional development as well.

Reflecting about my past life as a full-time athlete, I realise how much I grew up as a person; needless to say, triathlon always opened new opportunities to me, I got the chance to make endless friendship bonds and race in different venues within and outside my country, which was so much fun and I will always feel grateful for that, I will never forget my teens as an athlete who proudly represented El Salvador. It took a while to replace this endless passion for the competitive sport in 2010, it does not mean I do not hold the same passion anymore, but I think that overwhelming yourself with such pressure is not sane. Taking a step away from my sporting life 4 years ago was the best decision, which also led to open myself different opportunities outside my boundaries! I will always be proud of what I have accomplised within triathlon, of course, and that will never change. However, I will always hold the statement that being an exchange student in America shaped me in regards to my professional and personal development, and thanks to this experience, I now have a clearer indicator of where I want to direct myself to.

People ask me whether I miss triathlon at a high level, my answer (hand in heart) NO! 6 years ago I used to measure success with trophies, podiums, medals and race results but now it is different, I deem it on how good I do my work and how much I have learnt from it. I will always strive for new opportunities and give my best in everything I do; I seriously feel grateful for the professional development I have come to build since my return from my exchange program in the United States. Being part of the USAID Transparency and Anticorruption Program was such a remarkable experience; it has shaped me as a professional as well as a person in the most possitive way. I discovered skills that I did not know I had and everyday was such a new learning experience; I could see the need of strenghtening El Salvador´s institutions in order to improving domestic issues. There is always going to be abuse of power of course (I guess that´s human nature) , but if there is an enforcement of civil society participation, then a democratic State will remain stable, with the respect of its citizens and the respect of the Rule of Law. Big thanks to the program´s chief of party, who believed in me and gave me this opportunity, I could not be happier and more grateful of being part of this project, such an honour indeed!!!

First half of 2014 was full of learning and good experiences, I have enjoyed my job and being a normal athlete; I am looking forward to keeping following this professional path and I am eager to learn more about it. I am also excited about my further training and racing meets, but as I said they will be taken as "zero-pressure-level experiences".

2014-05-30T11:55:00.003-07:00

I just wanted to highlight how annoying and unprofessional this interviewer is!!!

My first "Trail Race" of the year

2014-05-25T16:20:00.001-07:00

Today I raced in one of the most beautiful archeological places of El Salvador, Joya de Cerén. Regardless my lack of running training, I signed in for the 5k course. I knew the trail was going to be messy, wet and muddy , specially after a super-duper-hiper-incredibly RAINY night.

The race was scheduled for 8 am yet it was delayed a couple of minutes later! Once we were off, I rapidly placed myself in second, but very close to the 1st girl. I was surprised because I was feeling good and I even could see the first boys 200 meters ahead of me (during the first 2k of course). Once we entered the muddy road, i started to see puddles everywhere, small ones, though! I thought i was going to be okey since I could just jump in order to avoid them; however, the further we went, the bigger the puddles were, so I was forced run on them since there was no clean space.... Once I got to the return, I did not care about puddles and the mud anymore, I could see the girl holding the 3rd slot was coming far from me so I just ran as steady and confortable as I could ; pherhaps the hardest part of the race was the final 500 mts. since we had to run over the steep archaeological pyramids, and then head to the finish line!

I am really happy with my outcome today and i also enjoyed the atmosphere that is created when races take place! It is great to see more people involved in sports because It contributes to the promotion of a healthy and peaceful culture, specially after seeing the horrible news during this past weekend.

Such a fun day indeed!!

x

Thanks #RunElSalvador & #PhotoRunnerSV for the pictures :)

Tri May

2014-05-18T08:33:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I raced my third triathlon of the year. I believe It was the toughest tri I have ever done in years; I kind of knew It was going to be hard, specially the bike part, since It was a pretty much all-hilly-venue, 36.5kms, however, this time the bike was all about suffering!!

I had an excellent swim, pherhaps one the best swims I have done in my entire life, I did not know how but I ended up with the first group jajajaja.. However, once I got out of the lake, my legs felt empty, I ended up riding the entire course solo, I had no power to get anyone´s wheel so the only thing I knew was I wanted to get to T2. Once I started to run I felt grateful and I finished in 3rd slot, which was a great result regardless zero bike-run training throughout the last 3 weeks.

I am so happy I am still involved in the sport even though I have no time availability for training anymore, only 3 days of the week when I am not a busy bee... Congratulations to all my fellow Salvadoran friends who dared to complete yesterday´s challenge !!! :D

xo

I wish I could have enjoyed the stunning view

Getting to finish line feels amazing

¡Pedaleando por ahí! =)

2014-04-19T18:12:00.000-07:00

Culminando nuestro entreno de ciclismo, en un Domingo super caluroso (como siempre) jajajaja, 90 kms Santa Ana-Los Chorros-Santa Ana

Acá sufriendo juntas con mi teammate :) jajajaja #GirlsPower ;)

2014

2014-03-03T14:09:00.001-08:00

Hi! It has been quite a few months since i have not blogged formally (apart from some snapshots&videos)...The truth is, I havent yet organised my time in order to write a descent post. However, I can truly say that I am super happy as well as grateful for the new 2014 adjustments :)
Indeed, 2014 brought new surprises and will surely bring new challenges!!!
I got a new bike and a new internship at USAID Transparency and Anticorruption Program, which are the best things that have happened so far. =)
When it comes to the internship, I must express my motivation, happiness and greatfulness, I have learnt so much in such a short period of time and I am soooo looking forward to learning more and more, I will write about my experience in another post, though

I will post later but here i leave some 2014 pictures :))

Minister of Public Works at the Opening Ceremony of the Access to Public Information Institute

Cycling tour 100kms

Beach Run 2014

Swimming training with my good friend

Paso del Hombre 2014

Cycling buddies

My olympian buddy

After 2 h 35 mins swimming in the ocean!!! yes,,, we got sunburnt jajaja

happy to get done with our Leadership Course for Salvadoran Youth #YouthEmpowerment

Semana Santa Swimming

El Salvador in the International Food Bazar 2012

2014-02-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

One of the best experiences whilst being an international student !! Ejoy ;)

Feliz año nuevo

2013-12-26T13:38:00.002-08:00

Hola mis estimados amigos blogueros

Este es mi último post del año, cerramos el 2013 con muchas experiencias, altibajos, que definitivamente han marcado mi vida. En particular, este año fue sin duda un año de aprendizaje y estoy muy agradecida con todos aquellos que me han acompañado en el transcurso de estas experiencias. Mil gracias a Dios, mi familia, amigos acá en ESA y fuera de mi país, universidad (UNICAES), consejeros, a mis amigos Federación Salvadoreña de Triatlón ESA y a mis estimados amigos de la oficina de asuntos públicos/culturales de la Embajada Americana en San Salvador, con quienes tuve la oportunidad de convivir así como pude ser participe en muchas actividades que contribuyen al desarrollo de nuestro país. En serio, no existen palabras para devolverles mi agradecimiento; sin embargo, tengan la plena certeza que estoy muy ansiosa y emocionada por lo que viene en 2014. Como siempre, estaré con la mayor disponibilidad de enfrentar los diferentes desafíos y cumplir con mis metas..

Solamente me queda desearles lo mejor para este próximo año y a tomar los retos con optimismo y positivismo.

¡Feliz año nuevo y Abrazos desde El Salvador!

Chau :)

Happy Holidays

2013-12-21T12:43:00.002-08:00

Enjoy the holidays and happy new year!!

Besos

2003-2013 and on....

2013-12-16T15:06:00.000-08:00

I go back in 2003 and see myself racing an ironkids tri for the first time in this pool, I see myself now swiming in this very same pool; nothing has changed!

btw, today we were having a great time post training and loving the weather jajaja!!

December 2013

2013-12-16T14:57:00.003-08:00

It shocks me the fact that 2013 is about to farewell us!! Indeed, between projects, educational fairs, doctor visits, presentations, events, training and holidays the time has FLOWN by!
December kicked off with the celebration of the second anniversary of "Partnership for Growth/Asocio para el Crecimiento", which is a long term goal project between ESA and US governments. This agreement was signed in 2011 and It intends to fight some of the main issues El Salvador faces nowadays. For example, State security, lack of production and education! It is indeed an honour to be part of this brilliant project since it gives me a sense of hope and possitivism in regards to our country´s future. I am aware that El Salvador is far from becoming as prosperous as other developed States yet everything takes a process; It will not be an easy rode but I am optimistic that our present and upcoming generations will hold accountability for the sake of our nation.
Overall, I believe this is an amazing initiative; two years have passed and I am already witnessing possitive outcomes regarding education and productivity. If you wish to know more about this wonderful project, i highly recommend to visit the US Embassy in San Salvador website
http://sansalvador.usembassy.gov/news/2013/12/06.html

When it comes to sport, I am really happy with my latest results. Last Sunday, I competed in the open water swimming nationals and I won the first slot in the female division. I am really happy since i did not exepct it!
On December the 8th, I also raced on the Triathlon Relay Championships where my team earned 2nd slot :)

I feel really blessed with everything I have experienced throughout this year, regardless the negatives and possitives, I am just excited and curious for 2014.

Campeonato Nacional Triatlón Relevos

proud of my team!

my sister´s graduation!

Random catch

open water swiming

Open water swimming

We all had a good day :)

PFW fair

The Team, Education USA

post training