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I was born in Colombia, and I have a ten years old boy who is my life and my motivation.
I love to smile, I love to have friends, I enjoy having people over. I  also enjoy cooking  and traveling.
I came to Canada for the first time 10 years ago, and I am happy and excited to have the opportunity to start a career that I really love.
When I was in Colombia I started a computer engineering program, but I moved to Canada and decided not to continue on the same path.

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I have the most amazing son. He is sweet, and he is stubborn like his mom. He loves hugs, and he loves giving me kisses. He is the reason I wake up every day with the desire to be the most successful person, so that I can give him a better future.
He requires extra attention because he has Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. He has been in therapies, and social workers have also assisted him. He is much better than before.
My son is my blessing, is the best gift I have ever received.

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God has sent me the most amazing person I have ever met, my future husband. I am so grateful to God because my fiancee is the answer to all my prayers.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 New International Version).

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The two beautiful people in this picture represent the most unconditional love, beside God, I have ever seen. I have learned so much from them, good things and bad things, but it is more good than bad. Their love is so good to me and I am so grateful to have them as my parents. They are not perfect and sometimes we have disagreements, but my respect and admiration and gratefulness do not have end.
They have been my support in the distance since I moved to this city by myself. They sacrificed so much to make of us a better children.

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Spending time with my family is what I enjoy the most, it means laughs, talking loud, arguments and controversy, it means teasing each other, quality time together, is it LOVE and care.  What I love the most about my family is that even though we are so different, we are there always to help for each other supporting and cheering each other up. Back home in Colombia, even though my sisters got married we used to live in the same block so we were able to help each other in case of need.

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In the Colombian culture, playing soccer on the streets is a common denominator, and salsa, cumbia, world cup soccer, carnival and food have the same importance as attending school.  In my country we are very passionate about our folklore and when we hear a song that is from our culture we feel butterflies in our stomach like we you are in love.

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Cumbia is a cultural dance that is part of the Colombian folklore. This dance is very representative for us.  It is a courtship dance that reflects the sensuality of in-love native couples.
From elementary to high school we always where involved in folklore representing our culture which we are proud of.

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When I grew up we had dogs as pets all the time. So having dogs was always something usual for me. When my son was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder I decided to get a dog to help my son with his high level of energy, but just before that I found out that I am allergic to dogs. I was in a serious dilemma.. it was me or my son hyperactivity, and this picture shows my decision. Now I have a serious sinus problem, but I am happy, my son is happy and we have an adorable dog that we love with all our heart and we can not imagine our lives without him.

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There are times in my life when I have felt that I can not continue, but it is when I remember that the desert is not my destination, but it is just a way to make me stronger.
Life is not easy but my attitude will define what results I would have. It can be positive or negative, depending if I keep working for my dreams or just give up.

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I do not have words to express what soccer means to me.
It means passion, it is excitement, it is euphoria, it is happiness, it is hanging out with friends watching a soccer match together. It is people yelling, goooaaaalll, it is so much involved in a soccer match. Feeling proud of those young men giving everything in a soccer field, having love for a country and trying to not let their fans down. I enjoy meeting with my friends while life is so  busy and we have not seen each other for a while, that happiness to see them again is amazing. Catching up!.

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There is no more gratifying feeling than helping others. Not many people have that gift but everybody should have it. I love to serve others, to help if they have any need, or if they need any guidance. One thing that gives purpose to my life is helping others, it is like when my spirit and my will connect to each other, therefore, I feel motivated to make other people happy. That should be the purpose of every individual in this world; find happiness through making others happy.

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This image reflects the character of a social worker, because we are going to be that person that other people would need desperately, even when we have not figured out what to do with our own struggles.
When we have the capacity to guide others or to help them in their process, we learn from it. We can apply some of our clients achievements on our own lives, and seeing example from many people around us would bring so much peace.

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I have heard that "trust takes years to build, seconds to break and forever to repair". As human beings we have the bad habit to let people down because of our own interests and conveniences. When people do not understand the real meaning of trust, they easily break that reliability that is in play. I notice how many people try to keep trusting others but those others keep letting people down. It comes to my mind the story tale about the "The Boy Who Cried Wolf". but there are others that really deserve a second chance.  As a Christian person I choose to keep believing in humanity.

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I grew up believing in an everlasting God, and I am extremely happy about it. Even though I do not impose my believing on to others, I am happy when people are believer and I will never change my convictions for any reasons. Jesus is my savior. My faith is really important to me because I have seen so many miracles done in my family, that it is impossible to do not believe in His most amazing love and power.

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Ten years ago I lost one of the most important persons in my life, my brother Mauricio.
He was gentle, he was faithful, he was a excellent brother, excellent son, excellent friend, excellent guide, excellent listener, he was my best friend. I lost him six months before I moved to Canada and leaving his remains behind was the most painful thing I have ever done in my life. For many years I felt that I failed him, because I moved to another country and left his remains back home.
I named my son after him to honor him, and keep a part of him with me all the time. For me he is a example of integrity.

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As Colombians our values are different than Canadians. Outward affection is extremely important for Colombians. For a Colombian son or daughter it is normal showing affection to his mother or father in public such as putting their arms around their parents. e.g, I love seeing my 24 years old brother hugging my mother at the bank and kissing her on forehead.
It is really rare in Colombia seeing older people be placed in care homes. We as children take care of our parents in our own homes, for us it is the way to paying them back for all the sacrifices they did for us.

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For me it is important to be in permanent contact with my closest friends. Our friendships
have become super important since we are in a foreign country, usually our families are back home, therefore those friends become our families.
For instance, we spend a lot of time together, such as camping, watching soccer together, dinners, birthdays celebrations, those are the most usual activities we do to get together. Friendship is the way to support each other in good and not so good days.

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I love this image because it describe the wholeness that should characterize every single person in this world. If everybody practice each value from this image this world would be completely different. It would be full of compassion, love and caring for others, because we would be harvesting
what one day we sowed.
I promise everyday to myself to do to others what I would like
people do to me.
There is a Colombian saying  that I like a lot, "Do good, and do not look at who".

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It is the most delightful activity  I do... helping others, volunteering, giving back to the community.  This picture represents my gratefulness, my way to say thank you, because the Bible states "it is more blessed to give than to receive". (Acts 20:35, New King James Version). This specific day we volunteered at BB4CK (Brown Bags for Calgary Kids) packing lunches for different schools in Calgary for children that are not able to dbring lunch to School for lack of money.

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More of giving... I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, building houses for families with need of a stable home environment.
I love this agency, it brings so much happiness to those families  that are in need of stability and a roof to live under. I was homeowner of one of those houses, and the emotion that bring to own a house is priceless. having my first own house was excited and gratifying. I met many people when I was volunteering, that I still talk with them and we have built good friendships..