My interest in the MESCI program comes from an interest in the world; and the complexities of the people that inhabit it. Since I was young I was interested in how life was in the corners of the globe far from the rural Colorado that I knew. I, or more precisely my mother, nurtured this inquisitiveness through a seemingly endless supply of National Geographic magazines, whose stories would enamor me for hours on end. During my university studies, of which I studied Business Administration, I began to find this passion again, taking opportunities to study internationally whenever possible. In the years after my studies I found my way in international tourism, which gave a chance to see the reality of life in the developing world, with it’s beauty, simplicity and challenges. It’s from these years of experiences abroad that I began to consider working in the development field and search for a program, which MESCI is a perfect fit.