Who am I?

Essentials of my life 

What I can’t live without:

God- Growing up I was raised with Christian values but coming to UT has allowed me to explore my faith and grow in a closer relationship with God. My faith is an important part of my life because it directs me in times of need and also guides me in my decision making.

Family-My family is very important to me, my family is composed of my dad, mom, and two sisters. I love my family and the bond we share. We maintain a good relationship in which we respect, love and support each other at all times. I have great communication with my parents and an amazing relationship with my sisters.

Culture-I was born in Ecuador but moved to the U.S as a teenager. I love my Ecuadorian culture and my Latin roots. I always enjoy eating a latin dish or attending for example, a Colombian festival. Through this, I get to learn about other nationalities, their people, their food and their music. 

Dance- Dance is my favorite hobby. I learned how to dance Salsa when I was 9 and since then have been in love with dancing. I can dance almost every Latin genre , hip hop, jazz and contemporary. In high school I was part of my high school’s dance team and in college I joined the Colombian Folkloric Ballet. Although I am not currently in a dance team, I enjoy attending Zumba classes and social dancing.

Things I care about:

School/ Carrer: I want to one day own my own business and for this reason improving myself professionally is important to me. I try to maintain high grades in my classes and also stay involved in outside organizations. I will graduate in December and hope to start my career in branding but in the long run expand to other areas of a business.

Exercise: Physical activity was not something that was encouraged in my life growing up. The first time I became physically active was when I joined dance in high school. Since then exercising has become important to me due to its benefits; a healthier body and a healthier mind. I feel more energized and often have a positive attitude when I work out. I used to also have a very weak immune system during my teenage years but with exercise my immune system has become stronger.

Fashion- I believe that the inside of a person; their views, feelings, and personalities matter the most. I also believe that your personal appearance says something about yourself. I enjoy dressing up and also keeping up with current fashion trends. I do not support materialism but instead feel like taking care of yourself can boost your confidence and also help you feel more comfortable in your own skin. It is just a matter of finding your own style!

My Digital Ecosystem

Blogs& Forums- I use blogs to stay informed about topics that are interesting to me such as fitness, beauty and entertainment. In here, I am able to find advice from normal people who do not get paid to advertise a product but rather offer sincere tips or recommend good products.

Twitter & Facebook- I used to have a Twitter account but I felt like you had to update almost every half an hour to stay active. Also I felt like people put too much of their personal lives on social media. I like to keep my private life away from social media so I chose to deactivate it. I do use Facebook but I use it mostly to stay connected with old friends and family abroad. I also use it for easier communication with group members for school projects

Web Search- Google is the main search engine that I use. I mostly use this medium to find information about topics that I might not understand or need further information on. I also use it to find shortcuts to other websites because I usually do not memorize exact addresses. When it comes to web surfing, most of the webpages that I visit during the week are school related. In the weekend, I use it for online shopping and for entertainment ( movies, music videos, etc)

My Typical Weekday 

If I had to divide my day I would divide it in three sections. In the morning is when I do my homework, my readings, I check the news, and social media. In the middle of the day I go to class and meetings. Lastly, in the afternoon, I cook and do homework, workout, and watch TV. The two periods during the day where I usually obtain the most information is in the morning and after class. My first class begins at 12:30 so I usually use my mornings to do readings for classes and to update myself on the news. Most of my information comes from local news channels and at times from the actual news websites. I usually engage in this activity early in the morning because it is  when I have the most free time and also because it is when news reporting seems to be the most professional and credible. In the afternoon, if I am free, I usually use my time to exercise, cook and watch movies and TV. I do so because my favorite shows are usually on at night and I also feel like most of my responsibilities are done for the day and tend to be more relaxed. 

The Journey of Transforming a Dream into a Career

When Maria was young she did not have a clear mind of what she wanted to do when she grew up. She loved helping people and she knew that she was going to make a big impact in this world. She did not know how or when but she had faith in herself and in her capabilities.

There were three main influences in her life, her move the U.S, her parents, and her love for people. Maria was brought to the United States at the age of 12. It was a difficult journey being removed from her friends, her family, and her native country. Although she felt like this was a big challenge, she found an opportunity which was to become a professional and the first college graduate in her family. Her parents worked very hard to provide a living for her and her two sisters. Her father went from being the owner of a successful distributing company in Mexico to driving 18 wheelers in Texas. Her mother on the other hand switched her social and comfortable life to become part time cleaning staff and part time babysitter. They both worked very hard and long hours to support and provide for their daughters.

This scenario made Maria to push herself to become the best in everything she did. In one year she learned English and was rapidly moved to regular and even AP classes. She graduated with honors in high school and was involved in the schools dance drill team, where she held a leadership role. Growing up she was always a caring and loving person. People came to her to ask her for advice and she was always willing to help and love those needed it.

When Maria graduated from high school her hardest decision was not what school she would go but instead what major she would choose. She always knew she wanted to go to college but she did not know what to major in. Maria asked herself what major fits the best with the qualities that I currently have? and what I would like to do?. She chose to become a psychology major at the University of Houston. Due to the large amount of students who had entered the university that semester, Maria did not get to take her first psychology class that semester.

Maria was never very comfortable being the center of attention, because she thought of herself as being and introvert and instead enjoyed calm situations. She wanted to help her parents financially, so she got a job through a friend as a Sales and Marketing Associate at a cell phone store. Maria was nervous at having to sell stuff to people but as time went on she became more comfortable and began to love the job. She loved the fact that people came to her with needs and she was able to help them make the best choice possible. She created lasting and trusting relationships with her clients and they cared for her.

At this point Maria learned about the Restaurant and Hotel Management program at the Hilton College in her school. It was the second best program for hospitality in the U.S and it possessed the best faculty available for this program. Maria loved traveling and different cultures, she saw herself traveling the world and having an international job. She then became convinced that she could still serve people, become a business woman, and help her clients. Maria then, for the second time in her career, changed her major now to Hotel and Restaurant Management with a minor in tourism.

In order to become part of the program Maria had to not only take classes but also work in the hospitality industry. Her job at the cellphone store had become too stressful due to the long hours and all the time it took away from her studying time. Through a friend she found out about an opening at Chick-fil-A for a position as a cashier. Maria wanted to learn more about running a restaurant or a hotel and this was a great opportunity for her. She was at first skeptical about the job, but as time passed she fell in love with the culture of the company and the people. Working as a cashier was not easy, she had to work shifts of 8 to 10 hours while standing. There were days where she would get home and her feet could no longer stand the pain. She was taking 15 credit hours while handling a job that although she loved, was very exhausting physically. 

Maria liked working at Chick-fil-A because she got to meet new people every day. Sometimes she even had customers come tell her that because of her great service their day was made. They were very flexible with her schedule which allowed her to have a good school and job balance.  Her managers cared for her, her professional growth, and her education. She did not have to work Sundays which allowed her to spend time with her family and recover from the hectic week. She felt like she had chosen the right career and had the goal of one day owning a resort of her own. But things rapidly changed for her. She had to find a new job because the second part of her undergraduate could not be completed if she did not gain experience in another area of hospitality. She was very sad about leaving her job but at the same time excited at what she would learn at her new job.

Maria then found a job as a hostess at an elegant Italian restaurant near her area. Maria’s goal was to become a waitress at the restaurant but because of her lack of experience she had to first become a hostess and then train to become a waitress. She trained for a month, but this was not what she expected. Her managers were not very understanding of her obligations at school and would sometimes have her work 30 hours per week. She was also taking 5 classes at school and this became overwhelming and stressful for her. When she began working with the restaurant they told her that there were certain days that she could not take off. Those days were all holidays ranging from Christmas to Mother’s day. Because of the elegance and because of how expensive the restaurant was, only high income clients visited the venue. The people were not very nice; instead, they were arrogant and careless about the waiters.

Maria rapidly lost interest over this career. At school she could no longer stay engaged in class because she felt like she could learn everything she was learning by working in a hotel or restaurant for 6 months. She thought about the future and the life style that she would have if she stayed in the hospitality industry. She wanted to one day be a mother and a wife and she did not feel like this lifestyle fit the desires that she had in mind for her family. She would be working for most of the special moments such as father’s day and Easter.

Maria went through a mild depression because the career that she thought she wanted no longer motivated her. She was lost and did not know what to do with her life. After serious consideration of her choices, Maria decided to look at the future and work backwards. Maria decided that her love for people had not vanished. She set a dream for herself, she would one day establish her own social entrepreneurial organization. This would not be house of charity but instead a sustainable business that would educate children and help their families out of poverty. 

For the last time she changed her major to Marketing with a minor in International Business. Maria now enjoys her classes and is grateful for the new and amazing knowledge that her faculty pours into her. She is passionate about her what she learns and her major. She does not want to start her organization right out of college, but instead wants to go into the private sector and gain business experience. By being part of the business school and by having numerous jobs and internships, Maria has developed professionally. Maria is still an introvert but she is now more confident in where she is and where she wants to get. She has learned that in order to move up and accomplish her dreams she needs to reach out, meet people and extend her network. She has an offer waiting for her after graduation this December from a fortune 500 company. Maria has an end goal and a starting point already set out but the journey in between is still waiting to be written. 

Maria's Journey Map

A World of Opportunities ( Empathy Map)

His name is Rafael; he is 28 years old born in the Dominican Republic but currently resides in Manhattan, New York. Rafael majored in Finance and graduate last year from a university in New York. He is the manager of one of the most prestigious restaurants in the city. He enjoys his job and learning how to manage people and a business.

For Rafael what counts the most is his family, friends, and the relationships he has with them. He is ambitious but in a good way. He strives to become a better person every day and believes self- improvement is something that he will be working on for the rest of his life. It is almost a never ending passion for him.

Rafael does not have many preoccupations. He is a very positive person and has a positive attitude for everything that he encounters. He believes in himself and has faith that whatever he sets his mind to, he will accomplish. If there is one thing that he occasionally worries about is the future of his brother. He lives with his mother and his 18 year old brother. He believes he has a drive to find a future for himself but he does not see the same goals in his brother’s plans. He worries about his brother’s future after his mother can no longer support him.

In the job that he currently holds he aspires to learn skills that will serve him for the rest of his life. He wants to learn how to lead people and to run a successful business. One day he wants to own his own business and gain financial freedom. He enjoys his job for now but has bigger plans for his career. On the personal side, he aspires to one day form a family, a loving and understanding family. He also wants to have the resources to provide for them and to protect them.

In the environment that he lives in, he sees a fast paced group of individuals. He sees two worlds and two cultures on an everyday basis. In the neighborhood that he lives in, he interacts with his Dominican friends and family. In his work environment, he sees a melting pot of people, all from different cultures but with one goal in mind making money and moving up. Having an exposure to so many cultures has helped him to interact well with people with different backgrounds and to be able to understand them better. In his social life, he has friends of all types; he is very friendly and enjoys meeting new people. He does not have a lot of intimate friends but those that he does are individuals that are seeking to find a better future for themselves just like he is.

Rafael is an extrovert; he enjoys being the center of attention and the life of the party. Nevertheless, he is not always like that, he sometimes enjoys having quiet moments and being by himself. When he is new to a situation he is quiet, not because he is shy, but because he likes to analyze the situation he is in. Once he feels comfortable, he tends to open up and becomes more social. Appearance is important to him not only based on the way he dresses but also the way he communicates with his body language. He enjoys dressing well for work and on an everyday basis. He does not have a favorite style but enjoys trying out new and different styles. Throughout the years he has become more confident and that shows in his non-verbal communication. He has improved his posture and has become more confident in his handshakes and eye contact.

Rafael does not have many fears; with every experience he has lived he has learned to be brave for himself and his family. The only fear he has is not being able to live the life he wants and not being able to accomplish his dreams. His major pain is seeing his mother worried and stressed out. She is a mother and a father to her two sons, so she has had to work hard to raise them well and support them.

Rafael does not measure success in the number of times he has failed or succeeded but instead, he measures what he has learned from those experiences. He believes that everything happens for a reason and that every situation in his life has served him to become the person he is today. He does not see obstacles but rather challenges that he must overcome.