I am Laura, an Indigenous woman from Guatemala, born in the beautiful town of Panajachel. My home is surrounded by a beautiful lake named Lake Atitlán, a place that holds a special spot in my heart. At 18, I have many memories of my life there, especially the time spent with my family. My life in Guatemala was a beautiful time moment with my mom, dad, grandma, and sister. We are a close family, and we always made time for each other, creating fun and lasting memories. However, the past four years have brought a sad moment to our lives. My grandma, at 84 years old, fell into a coma. This difficult situation has been a source of sadness for our family, but we find strength and hope in our faith. We believe that with God, everything will be okay, and we pray for her every day. English is my second language so I learned it at a very young age because Panajachel is a touristic place so my parents thought that it was necessary that I could learn English. I've always loved sports, especially weight training, and it has been a huge help on my journey. I enjoy playing a lot of sports like basketball, soccer, volleyball, and badminton, and I especially love to swim. I consider myself an extrovert, someone who loves to talk and connect with others.(Here I’m a little shy because it’s a whole new place but I already made some friends) I like to be kind to everyone I meet. My curiosity encourages me to discover new things every day, and I especially love learning about different cultures. Beyond my love for people and learning I love nature and have a special place in my heart for animals. At home we have 3 cats, 6 dogs and 2 parakeets. The reason that we have a lot of dogs is because my mom rescues street abandoned dogs. One of my greatest joys comes from volunteering and helping those in need. At my church, we often prepare meals to share with people on the streets. It's a simple act of kindness that I find incredibly rewarding. Overall, I'm still figuring out who I am because you know this is the start of my “adult” life where I will learn lot of new things, but I have a very clear picture of the person I hope to become. First, I want to have a strong connection with God. I also want to be a person who is stable in every way economically, physically, and emotionally. Now my biggest goal is to become a dentist. I dream of returning to my home country, Guatemala, to help people in need who might not have access to quality dental care. I also want to be a woman who empowers other women. In Guatemala, many sexist traditions exist where women are expected to stay in the kitchen and at home to raise their children. I believe that's not okay. Every one of us has the right to do what we want, to become a professional in a field we're passionate about, and to build a life we truly love. I want to be an example for other women, showing them that they can achieve so many things on their own and of course the help of God.

I am Laura, an Indigenous woman from Guatemala, born in the beautiful town of Panajachel. My home is surrounded by a beautiful lake named Lake Atitlán, a place that holds a special spot in my heart. I feel really identified with Maggie because, like her, I am studying here with the hope of being able to become someone in life, and I don't have a lot of financial support. I'm working and studying at the same time, but the money I earn really doesn't go very far. English is my second language so it has been a little bit difficult adapt here but I'm advancing a lot with that situation. And to be honest I'm a little afraid of what is going to happen if I cannot get the rest of the money to complete the payment of my first semester but I believe that God has plans for me. Since I was a little girl, I've had this dream of coming to study in the United States, and that's why I worked so hard all the previous years to learn English and get good grades. coming here was not easy I had a lot of difficulties with things like, the visa and other legal matters, but I succeeded and now I'm studying at Andrews University. My mom helps me with a portion of the costs, and it's a lot of money for us because the value of our currency is very low. And I got a part of scholarship but I still need to pay 17,000 still per semester. But I believe that by working hard I can achieve my goals. Now my biggest goal is to become a dentist. And I dream of returning to my home country, Guatemala, to help people in need who might not have access to quality dental care. I also want to be a woman who empowers other women. In Guatemala, many sexist traditions exist where women are expected to stay in the kitchen and at home to raise their children. I believe that's not okay. Every one of us has the right to do what we want, to become a professional in a field we're passionate about, and to build a life we truly love. I want to be an example for other women, showing them that they can achieve so many things on their own and of course the help of God.

My name is Laura, and I am a proud indigenous woman from Guatemala. My journey to where I am today has been a challenging one, not only because of economic difficulties and the language barrier but also because of the emotional toll of being far from home. We truly do not have the budget to cover all my university expenses, but I believe that God will provide. While my English is still basic, I am fully committed to my studies and understand my classes completely. Applying for this scholarship was not easy, as I faced many obstacles and a lack of resources. In my childhood, I suffered a lot from bullying because of my physical appearance. For a while, I was in a very bad emotional state that didn't even allow me to study. Over time, however, I learned my own self-worth and what I was truly capable of achieving. I have always dreamed of studying abroad to get a high-quality education, and now the barrier is the money. Currently, I am facing new challenges, like paying for expensive books and materials—money I truly don't have. My family is also under significant financial pressure. Three years ago, my grandmother fell into a coma, and my mother has been shouldering all the costs of her care. My mother is working very hard to cover a part of my expenses, and receiving this scholarship would be a tremendous help to both her and me. If I receive this scholarship, it would greatly help me pay for the materials I need for my classes and ease my family's financial burden. It would also help me stay one step ahead in achieving my goals. I also need to work to pay for my studies, and there will be days when I'm overwhelmed by having to work and study at the same time, but I know I can handle it. My ultimate dream is to become a dentist. My goal is to graduate and practice my profession, and for a period of time, to do volunteer work. In my country, there are many people who truly lack the resources to even go to the doctor, much less to take care of their oral hygiene. That's a project I already have in mind: to hold a medical mission. I want to return to my home country and provide dental care to those in need. It has not been easy to get to where I am today, and I believe this scholarship would be a big help in making my dream a reality and helping my community