Berkley Center

I am a science, technology, and international affairs major, concentrating in energy and environment, and I already feel that I have much to say about my time spent here. Through daily observations, I have found that as stereotypically run-of-the-mill as a Catholic country in Latin America may sound, there exist fascinating contradictions in the way Ecuadorians live against this backdrop of religion. From the visible economic disparity combined with a dominant Catholic doctrine to the extreme pollution in the streets of Quito in one of the most biodiverse and ecologically-valuable countries, I know I have plenty to reflect upon.

I also feel that my personal background would add an engaging dimension to my view of Ecuadorian culture and society. Though I was raised Catholic and attended Catholic school my entire life, Catholicism has not held my interest since I have attended Georgetown. In addition to having a Catholic mother and an athiest father, always feeling two opposing forces in the realm of religion, my cultural identity has forever been a collision between my mother's traditional Irish-American family and that of my Taiwanese immigrant father. Though I have never felt a strong connection to my father's culture, it seems to be my strongest identifying factor here before gringo or American. This has been an experience in itself, and I hope that I can share these thoughts as I continue to learn about myself and the culture in which I am immersed.