Pon Lue (Ponleu)

means "shine" in Khmer, the language of Cambodia

Gypsy Garma

I would consider my curiosity a curse and a blessing in a way. I would define myself as someone different from others in some ways more like as a shy, kind, caring, creative, and always a happy person. Of course, I am no perfect human, I make mistakes and regrets as I move forward. Something that has always been marked with me since childhood is that I like to work, discover, and not really stay in one place. The stories of my mom's homeland always inspired me to learn about it more, though I was not always allowed to go outside.

Nevertheless, as I am older, I want to continue discovering. The world has so much history, so many secrets, that I, as an Individual, want to understand. I live in a place where everyone is different, coming from different parts of the world, so maybe I’ll discover more along this journey.

Hayden Freeman

My upbringing drives me to pursue a career in psychology. I come from a single parent family with limited resources, so I know that going to college is a privilege, not a right, and that this is an ambitious goal. Yet, having a difficult childhood is what inspires me to pursue these lofty goals and make an impact on society. My life, like many others, has not always been easy. Money is tight and my home life is often stressful. I work four days a week while attending high school to save for college. This adversity is what motivates me to want to help other young people overcome obstacles in their lives, so they can pursue their dreams. My inspiration for wanting to do this program is to expand my knowledge on different cultures, while being open minded to new beliefs and ways of life.

Jolly Wrapper

My name is Jolly Wrapper, that’s Wrapper with a “W’. I’m a Portland-based musical performer, spoken word poet and visual artist. This work often draws inspiration from personal experiences, interests, people, systems, and social injustices, encountered and observed throughout life. Aside from performing poetry and making music, I love filming music videos, doing photography, producing beats, drawing, painting, designing and sewing custom clothes, writing and illustrating children’s books, mentoring youth, and facilitating social justice events. My biggest strengths are being creative and problem-solving. Through art and self-expression, I will change the world. Support me and I’ll support you!

Jay Joseph

What has inspired me to do this program was the exploration! I was born and raised here in Portland, Oregon and I never really have got to explore other states really besides Seattle, Washington but that is as far as I have ever gone and I've always wanted to see what life was like in another place other than Oregon. It was an opportunity I had to take full advantage of since it seems like an amazing and beautiful opportunity. SE Asia in particular has always been on my bucket list. Growth and transformation, to me, is when you start to see and feel yourself shift and morph into a totally new and refreshed version of yourself. You become more aware of things around you and begin to sympathize with things and express yourself more freely.
What motivates me is that I get to learn and explore at the same time! but also getting to know what it is like to live outside of the U.S. since I could imagine it to be a beautiful experience to be able to meet new people and explore a different culture just appeals to me.

Katherine Barragan

I have never really been on my own, from going to the smallest bedroom we had (families would rent their rooms out to us and there would be 5 of us in a tiny room), to now a two-story apartment I haven't done much by myself. Sure I go out with friends and do things on my own, but at the end of the day, I know that my family will always be there with me. I'm not saying that I don't love my family-trust me! I think I love them a little too much- it's just I want to try and go outside the country for once on my own and see what the world is like. I'm at a point in my life where I can finally do things that I want to do and I think that I want this program to be a part of it. This year I made a new years resolution to be a better person, and whether that be I eat healthier, I do more exercise, or even drinking enough water to not be dehydrated. I want to learn how to be okay with enjoying the 'now' and being able to tell myself that it's okay to take time to do things and I think getting out will help me do that. I want to transform into that 'Katherine' that I haven't seen yet and, even if it's just a tiny bit I'll know that I've succeeded.

Kilani Howe

My inspiration for this program is that I’ve always wanted to see the world but most importantly I've wanted to learn and experience outside of a tourist's perspective. I’ve been interested in the differences and similarities of everyday life for different cultures. Growth and transformation for me mean mentally bettering myself in ways that will help me to be my own person and succeed in my everyday life. In this program specifically, it would mean being educated about people and places outside of the US as well as becoming comfortable both independently and with others. My motivation for this program comes from wanting to connect with people. I can have a hard time putting myself out there but I love to learn and have conversations. This past year I’ve really been working towards opening up in new ways and the idea of doing that in a very new place is intimidating but also really exciting.

Samantha Leyva

My name is Samantha, my stage name is Serenity. I am Cuban-American, first-generation American. My inspiration for doing this program I would say is being Cuban American and not being able to go back to Cuba and feel where I come from. to not be able to thrive with those that look and are just like me. It would be very nice to travel outside of the United States and see new things, new places that I wouldn't be able to go to if I hadn't made the choice to go to college and keep striving for a better future.

My life has been made up of growing and learning constantly. Letting myself know that mistakes need to happen in order for growth to happen. a big motivator for me is being able to see new ideas, new lifestyles and not being afraid of change or learning new things. As an older sister, I’m always trying to shelter my brothers from the world and I've started to notice how fragile and scared I am of the world. This experience would help me heal my inner child and grant me so much knowledge and a new perspective on life.

Valeria Vollmer-Rendon

My primary inspiration to travel abroad is my love for meeting new people and learning about different places. Growing up in a Colombian and Cuban family I was always surrounded by those cultures and hearing their stories about where they grew up, and how it made them the persons they are. However, it is completely different from being in a place and interacting with it, with the people there. I see growth as the stepping stones towards transformation. Growth means learning from your mistakes and learning through experience. A person who is not confident and often avoids confrontation even at their own detriment could learn from experience and transform into someone who is confident in their actions and understands that they cannot always avoid confrontation if doing so would actively harm them. I love my family very much but being able to go to a different country and get new experiences with an unfamiliar group presents a unique opportunity for growth in independence and confidence that I think is necessary as I transition into adulthood.