2009

The move from a newsroom in a country town in an underdeveloped country like Venezuela, that is submerged in endless economic, social, political and countless other hardships, to the classrooms of one of the leading universities for journalism majors in Canada gave me the opportunity to share my professional and academic experiences with the multicultural society of Montreal where journalism has access to technology tools and social events entirely different from those I HAD known.

That privilege, granted by the Inter American Press Association, is without doubt one of the most important events in my personal and professional lives.

Living and studying in a city as unique as Montreal expanded my views, experiences and knowledge on the levels of social communication, languages, development of news reports and their subsequent publication.

Not only did I learn to handle new information codes, I also had to get used to walking in the streets without thinking about being mugged; to see how an organized society works even though it’s not perfect; to confirm that there are huge numbers of positive events to highlight in the press, such as environmental conservation and respect for human rights. I learned to respect a vision of journalism, at the beginning foreign to me, where you can headlinea newspaper with the rescue of an animal or a fashion show. In the same way I learned to appreciate my country, my people… the media that is free.

And of course, to long for the recovery of democracy in Latin American countries, freedom of expression and information. But the learning process wasn’t all nostalgia, I’m practicing solid journalism, conducting interviews anD publications for people who remain anonymous, disabled persons, artists, artisans, people who struggle daily to build a strong, informed and truthful society. I am Infinitely grateful to every member of the IAPA for allowing me to realize a goal, a dream for someone to whom journalism is a way of life.

Dreams come true when we persevere. Winning the IAPA scholarship was part of my vision. I am grateful for reaching that goal at the end of this year when I will receive my MA in journalism at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. Studying in another country opens up new opportunities; doing it in a different language than the mother tongue becomes a challenge that brings personal and professional growth. Among the small steps I have taken on Canadian soil, I produced and hosted a radio program devoted to the Salvadoran community in Montreal and published in the magazine Debate, Toronto. Community work is not unrelated to journalism. For several months I had the opportunity to teach Spanish to a multicultural group, a very rewarding volunteer experience. From Canada I have also written articles on the Salvadoran community, published in El Diario de Hoy. For now I am working on improving my French and am doing an internship at the consulate of El Salvador in Montreal. I am proud to be part of the list of scholars chosen by such a well known institution as the IAPA. Thank you so much for the privilege ... there are still more dreams to come true.