Thanks, MUWCI and India.

I would like to share with you this letter I published on Facebook for MUWCI people. India this year has given me too many opportunities and blessings -and I am very grateful with life for this.

Thanks, MUWCI 2014 – 2015

In one week my first year at Mahindra United World College ends. It is crazy; it seems that these eight months have passed so fast that I do not even know where to start or what to say when people ask me about this year. I guess that the first word that comes up to my mind is: unique. And in fact, the uniqueness of this year lays on how it allowed me to discover myself in many different ways.

It has been one of the most challenging, tough, meaningful and special years of my life. Going through the process of studying a new language, trying to engage and experience different activities, programs and projects in the school while making strong relations with amazing people from all over the world, and emphasizing on building compassionate and emotional attitudes towards service and interactions in a totally new context has been incredibly rewarding and meaningful.

In the past months there have been many conversations about what is the UWC Experience, what does the idea of ‘making an education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future’ mean. Well, I have come to the conclusion that the UWC Experience is so unique, that it’ll be different for each person and it would be unfair to establish a fixed path for this so called ‘experience’. However, there is something magic in common that should be protected and encouraged, which is from my perspective, a magical aspect of the values we are supposed to learn here. It is to make our life experiences meaningful, and so, perceiving with eyes of love and appreciation, and conceiving life and the privilege we have as something valuable; that give us the opportunity to be change-makers of our existence and if we decide to, of our communities.

I am grateful for these months in which I have smiled, learned, fallen apart, recovered, worked, danced, studied, cried, sang, travelled, loved, built friendships, ate, stayed awake till the sunrise, discovered, done art, breathed, performed, done clowning, prayed, written, perceived, discussed, talked, thought, felt, grown up, made mistakes, doubt, trusted, seen, heard and appreciated.

Thanks for being part of my story at Mahindra College and India. Thanks for helping me to overcome the challenges I faced throughout this year and for always being there.

And thanks to everyone who made this dream of coming here possible. Gracias.

Espero nunca olvidar aquel “en todo amar y servir” que aprendí en Venezuela, y por el cual estaré siempre agradecida con mi familia, Loyola y experiencias de la vida por haberme enseñado.

Con amor/with latin love.
Sara Pan Algarra

In Hampi, 2014.

India

Caracas, una ciudad joven

A couple of days ago, missing the craziness and particular beauty of the city I come from. I found this article that I wrote five years ago about Caracas. Although things have gotten worst back home, I still believe there is chance to make our city and country a better one.
I did not want to translate it because I will miss out the genuineness of what I wrote as a child. However feel free to translate it with the option on the right column.  

    Sara  Pan Algarra

Caracas, una ciudad joven

Caracas, una ciudad llena de habitantes, problemas, bellezas, esfuerzos y dificultades, cuya realidad nos invita a preguntarnos ¿qué hacemos por ella? 
La respuesta variará dependiendo de la persona a la que le preguntes, pero ¿qué podría responder un joven? Unos dirían “no sé”, “estudio” o posiblemente “colaboro con la limpieza de mi ciudad, comparto mi arte con la comunidad en la que formo parte, respeto las normas y a la gente que me rodea o simplemente hago las cosas bien”. Estas últimas respuestas serían en mi opinión, las ideales. Lo ideal debe estar basado en la diversidad de pensamiento, sabiendo que cada uno a su manera puede contribuir por y para Caracas.

Si queremos una ciudad distinta comencemos marcando la diferencia siguiendo, opinando y apoyando políticas públicas aplicadas por entes gubernamentales, donde las acciones y metas finales no estén asociadas necesariamente con políticas partidistas y divisorias, sino donde el objetivo principal sea construir una ciudad donde a pesar de que existan diferentes opiniones, la armonía, la confianza en el prójimo, la cultura ciudadana, la tolerancia y el respeto sean valores y características fundamentales.

Creo fielmente en que todos como jóvenes, por medio del uso de nuestra creatividad, innovación, diálogo y organización podemos juntar fuerzas para apoyar políticas públicas positivas. Éstas nos conducirán a la promoción del respeto hacia los derechos y deberes. El propósito será entonces convertirnos en la esperanza del futuro, pero más importante aún, en la del presente.

Caracas puede transformarse en una ciudad donde se valoren los pensamientos del otro, donde reine el arte, el deporte y la educación, sabiendo que aunque continúen las dificultades y los problemas; seremos una gran familia.

Trabajemos juntos y así cada vez que nos despertemos y salgamos a la calle, nos sentiremos orgullosos de nuestro hogar; el cual será cuna del esfuerzo, entusiasmo y positivismo que caracteriza al venezolano.

Con nuestras acciones podemos hacer de Caracas una ciudad joven.

Sara Pan Algarra, 13 años.

Published in the newspaper Últimas Noticias, Caracas, Venezuela (2010).