Between all of the commitments and news cycles, it can be challenging to maintain a positive mindset. Maria shares about her perspective of saying yes, and the opportunities that a positive mindset can bring. 

While I’ve been here, many people have asked me, “what is the most important thing that I have learned during my time in Seattle?” I have learned a lot about leadership, cross-cultural communication, self-awareness, and how to create and be part of a team that works in the best way to achieve what they want. I have learned to share how I feel when I’m upset or happy. I also have learned to be empathetic with the people that are around me, and to take advantage of the things and time that I have here and to communicate better or at least try to do it.

I know that all of this is important and necessary, but for me the most important thing that I have learn here is to say YES to everything. I want you all to know how important this is for me. Knowing to say YES has brought me to events and opportunities that I thought I could never do and meet people and places that I love now. I didn’t realize until know that saying YES was the reason why I’m here, saying YES has making me meet great people and make excellent friendships through the whole year. Saying yes to things has helped me accept who I am and to accept others.

I just want to say thank you to the people that were responsible of teaching me this. I love you for teaching me this and for all the things that you have done for me during this year.

Darich wrote about how helpful the mentors he has had while in Seattle play an important role in his time. The Seattle Institute tries to find mentors who speak the students’ own language, and/or who can offer additional support and perspective throughout the time the students are here. Thanks so much to those who mentor our students!!

How easy or challenging could it be the fact of being in a foreign country? The truth is really hard to find a way to describe exactly how the experience of living in a new country is. I believe that one of the most difficult things of being away from my home country is missing family, friends, and simple things like food. However, not everything must be bad because this has also been an opportunity to know new people, a new culture, a chance to learn English and about Leadership skills, and many other things.

Being in Seattle has been an amazing experience, and I do believe that the people that we have met during the process are the ones who make unique our time in an unknown place. Some of those special people that I am really thankful to be part of my life are the homestays who opened their houses and hearts to us. However, they are not the only ones who have helped us to face the challenges or to give us the opportunity to have an amazing experience while in Seattle. Mentors have also been a guide in our way. Most of the time they are willing to give us some of their time to listen to us, give us an advise or just to make of our day a different and great one.

Sharing time with my mentors has been a chance to understand in a better way the value of family. The reason why I consider it is because they have been a real example of what a family does. Although we do not see frequently to each other, the mentors are interested about how we are doing in our daily life, in the school, and with our host families. As always, for the first time is weird because we do not know to each other. However, at this point of my life I can say that they are more than just mentors, they are family.

Personally, I am really glad about the incredible chances that being in this program has provided me. I am also thankful for those people who are always supporting to the NPH family.

Megan, Kay, David and Christina Buchholz, and all the other mentors thank you for being part of our life. All of you have been a great support for us.