Michelle introduces herself as a 19-year-old Mexican student applying to IEU's dual law and international relations program. She describes being perceptive due to experiences with her uncle who treated her like an equal conversational partner from a young age, encouraging her to think deeply. Living abroad as an expat in Colombia and Costa Rica from age 13 further developed her adaptability and open-mindedness through exposure to diverse cultures and perspectives in international school communities. Michelle believes her perceptiveness and appreciation of differences will make her a valuable member of the IEU community.

1. Prompt: Describe one
of your unique
personality traits
which will make you a
valuable member of
the IEU community.

2. Good Day!
I’m Michelle Magaña and I would first
like to introduce myself. I am Mexican,
19 years old and I’m in my second year
of the IB program, eager to become a
member of the IEU.
I’ll be applying for the Dual Bachelor of
Laws and Bachelor in International
Relations.

3. I have a special memory
of my uncle telling me I
should dedicate myself
to Philosophy when I
was 8. Whenever I
visited him, he made
me feel that what I was
saying was important to
him, never treating me
as a young child but as
conversational partner.
The trait I have
chosen to talk about
today is PERCEPTIVE
and here’s where my
story begins.

4. Being able to speak my
mind to an adult close
to me with insightful
views encouraged me to
think closely about my
surroundings and
experiences. I believe
what those close to me
say about me is
important to define
myself, and it brings
great joy to me to know
that people close to me
think I have a unique
way to view the world.

5. Today, even though I don’t see my identity
being set in stone I think of my life so far
I am satisfied with the person I’ve built
upon my experiences: An adaptable and
open-minded individual.

6. What has not only
provoked these traits to
develop but also taken
it to a completely
different level is the
experience I’ve had as
an expat since the age
of 13 in Colombia and
Costa Rica after living
my whole life in Mexico.
When I arrived to
Colombia I simply did
not like a single thing
about the being there
but what made my
mentality change was
my new school.

7. An international
community that
exposed me to different
backgrounds, cultures
and people. From which
I discovered a world of
people with completely
new perspectives who
would come to play a
role in building my
identity.

8. Then I moved again to Costa
Rica and I acted with what I
had learn. Today I’m back in
Colombia being a completely
different person, aware of my
surroundings and
opportunities able to
describe myself as sensible,
appreciative and perceptive.

9. This would be my contribution to the IEU community, one
which I hope I can not only apply to my studies but keep on
building here.