The Colegio Blogporter

By: Josué Manuel Vélez Albino

Crazy but very happy woman.

       I had the opportunity of interviewing a classmate.  Her name is Angelie Marie Rivera Ramos, but her friends call her Angie.  She always takes control of every situation; without even noticing she tends to be very controlling. In school, when someone had a problem, she was the one who always tried to solve it. Yet, as she grew up, her behavior changed to the point that when she was close to graduating from high school she wasn’t clear about what she would study. She wasn’t clear about whether to study law or English, because she loves teaching.

       Now she is studying Political Science at the University of Puerto Rico- Mayagüez. She has her goals pretty clear. After finishing her bachelor, she wants to transfer to the Río Piedras Campus to finish her major in law. Her main goals are to become a lawyer, a politician, and maybe get married. As a lawyer, she wants to make justice work, lowering criminality and corruption (sending to jail most of the politicians) in our country. On the other hand, as a politician, she will focus on children, especially homeless ones. She believes that every child have the right to grow in a secure home with a loving family. Also she will focus n women’s rights, and try to reach their equality in society.

       But Angelie is not all about studies and professional goals. She loves to hang out, watch movies( stories of  werewolf and vampires),  read, go to the beach, make lots of friends, spend hours on the  phone, go shopping,  listen to music, chat with friends, and be with her boyfriend Christian.  She doesn’t like lies and liars, envy, staying alone, two-face people, and practicing sports; though she loves to watch volleyball and basketball games.

       Angelie is from Añasco and graduated from Regional Bilingual Sergio Ramirez de Arellano Hostos Junior and High School, where we meet four years ago.  Angie considers herself  a fighter, crazy, jealous, special, unique, intelligent, friendly, shy, thankful, dreamer, and very happy person.

By: William T. Wolfrom

Ricco J. Morales Irizarry is a young man born and raised in the great city of Mayagüez. Ricco is currently 19 years old and will be turning 20 in April. Four months after he was born his father left to live in the United States. Ricco Morales has been a leader and a great son that has helped his family, due to the absence of his father. Ricco has faced many obstacles but he has proven himself that even though life is hard we can be better yet. Ricco has had the

perseverance and, especially, the dream of graduating from college.

Ricco is in his second year of college in the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez Campus as part of the path he must continue to fulfill his dream. This young man is planning on becoming an electrical engineer, as he promised to his mother that he would be a professional and a contributor to society. He loves what he is studying because it’s his dream since he was a little boy. Ricco is an active individual and I noticed it when talking to him, for this reason, and because he is really intrigued by the field, is that he is studying electrical engineering.

When Ricco is not studying, he is paying pool. Because he is always in the university studying he spends a little of his daily time with his friends playing pool in the game room at the Student Center. Another hobby that he enjoys is using the computer for social networking: using Facebook to meet new people and maintain communication with his new and old friends. When I met him I knew that I would enjoy my time in class with him. He speaks and engages you in a way that you know this man is a person that works his nails off and even though he isn’t the smartest person alive, he definitely tries to use the best of him. Interviewing Ricco has helped me to meet a friend that is worth fighting for.

Dane (center) with two friends.

By: Jose J. Nazario

Dane Font was born on December 18, 1989. Today he is a young man of 20, an ambiguous person that can answer any question with a surprising and random answer. A fact is that if he could change his name, he would choose something more rocker-like; he likes names that stick with you. Dane is a little bit unsystematic; he is one-of a kind.

In this world people care too much about money, power and materialism. Yet Dane isn’t a materialist person; he is the kind of person that if he had all the money in the world he would buy one of a kind item, then he will destroy it, showing himself he wouldn’t hold to be materialist person and of course travel the world.

His vision and ideas can let him travel to the past; when Dane thinks of another age he would have liked to live in, he said:  “old Greece, it would be stimulating to talk with Socrates and Plato.” He is not an extreme sports person but if he practices one in the future it would be skating, because it “seems less dangerous.” Extreme sports aren’t part of his interests.

Some people he would like to meet are John Lennon, Sigmund Freud, Cleopatra, and George Carlin. The last idea gives you a clear state of the mind of this young fellow. Dane wouldn’t leave things for the last hour but if the year 2012 marked the end of the world, what would he do? First, freak-out; second, correct all evil he has done; and third, with regard to his love life, he would have more romantic encounters. This is not the end of Dane, it’s just the beginning. Can you guess his next answer?

By: Jonataniel Arroyo Rivera

Carlos A. Colón Del Pozo is 19 years old. It’s easy to hang out with this guy because he is kind and funny. He is someone who has a lot of inspiration like any regular person. His hobbies, like any young man are the sports, but specifically basketball. However, he has some skills that make Carlos cool. For example, apart from the sports he also likes to dance hip hop and salsa. Because of these skills, he is currently a member of Millennium RUM dancers. Being on this group gives him a lot of privileges. For example, he gets a scholarship and gets to choose classes before other students during registration.

Carlos’s goals for the future are finishing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineer, and then a bachelor’s degree in transportation engineering. After this he wants to get a nice job and have a family. He lived in Fajardo, but he moved to Mayagüez, Calle Post Street, where he currently lives. His house is just a few steps from the University of Puerto Rico- Mayagüez Campus where he is studying right now. Currently, his main priority is the University. However, he also makes time to share with are family and friends because school is not everything in life. He likes to listen to any type of music, but his favorite genres are hip hop, salsa, R&B, and jazz.

Carlos is young man with a lot of determination. When he sets his mind to do something, he does not give up until he accomplishes it. He personally thinks that drugs make a lot of damage to our body. But he said that drugs are a ‘‘good business’’ that are not going to disappear in one day. In addition, according to Carlos, drugs are sometimes protected by people with money and political power.

By: Miguel Torregrosa

Kasielis showing her flexibility at the beach.

          The life of a college student is very unique. You can be happy sometimes and other times sad after receiving the results of your tests; you can be tired of studying until 3:00 am or for partying all night; you meet normal and not so normal people each semester. And there are some people who are different and have something to say. This is the case of Kasielis Molina.

          This young woman is 19 years old and lives in Naranjales, Mayagüez. Kasielis amazingly entered the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM) at the incredible age of 16 and is currently on her 3^rd year in business administration. However, she is in the process of choosing a different major. She is interested in biology, organic agriculture and journalism. She went to Spain as study abroad student last semester, and teaches salsa at Rincon. Molina is a passionate student who loves dancing and arts in general. She is currently in Teatrum, a student theater organization at UPRM and whishes to write sometime about how Puerto Rico is losing its arts. She considers herself as a spontaneous young woman and very responsible.

          Kasielis has traveled to many parts of the world representing Puerto Rico in dance groups; she has gone to Amsterdam, Spain, Portugal, France, Mexico and many other places. In Mexico she danced with the group Bellos Atardeceres, from Rincon, Puerto Rico. As if all these accomplishments weren’t enough she is a voluntary advisor in the Exchange Office at UPRM and she dances “Bambu Plena”.

          Kasielis is a young woman who has many things to say and very important ones. She likes to learn everything even if it is hard for her to concentrate, but her will to learn is stronger and so it helps her in her studies. Her one and only fear is not being able to accomplishing her goals but with her great willpower she will definitely be able to accomplish anything she aspires in life.

By: José Vélez Anderson

Sheila Cancel is a student here at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez. Many students choose this university because it provides better job opportunities in the future. This is the case of Sheila. She had the opportunity to enroll here and took it and she is using her time very well. The professors have a unique way of teaching, which prepares us better for our future and for our jobs. As Sheila told me, she likes the English class because it is very important. She believes that the better we can express or communicate in a different language, the more opportunities we have for learning.

She combines her interest in history classes with her passion for taking photographs. That is a good way to combine those activities because that way people know what you like to do. If you take pictures of yourself doing any activity, sport, or just in a beautiful environment, like the RUM, people can know the different choices you like and may take an interest in knowing better what the University likes to offer; maybe some will have the same interests that Sheila has. According to what Sheila has told me, History is a good class to take here in the university, because you can choose what History class to take; that being ancient history, the history of the United States´ language; etc. You should also try Spanish literature. Sheila told me, “I have learned how to see our literature from another perspective, and it is very interesting.” This is a great concentration, especially if you like history. Sheila takes this course and she loves it. She likes reading and expressing her feelings through art. Spanish literature helps you to express yourself through art, through pictures and reading. The RUM is full of these classes and as she loves them, I can assure that you will love these classes too. She would gladly help anyone who takes similar classes to her. Even those who have her passion for art should talk to her, she is so outgoing and expresses her feelings clearly.

In this big campus, if you manage to meet Sheila Cancel, you may actually hear her story and how she feels about her classes. Anyone who enters the history or Spanish program is bound to run into her. She is always hanging around the Arts and Science building. Sheila told me in a sincere way, “Wow! So many people and many don´t know how many qualities they have in common and may even become great friends.” Someday you are bound to see her and maybe get the chance to hear about how great and interesting her classes are. This is surely the best university you may get into and enjoy all the programs and studies that it has to offer.

By: Ricco J. Morales

William T. Wolfrom

William T. Wolfrom Morales is overage student in the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez (also known as “El Colegio”), but with a different story. He was born in Key West, Florida on Sep. 4, 1990. At 19 he has a lot to tell. His last name, Wolfrom, comes from Germany. He grew up in Vieques, Puerto Rico and he said “this is the best thing that has ever happened to me.” He moved to Vieques because his parents are from there. He finished high school there and then he moved to Cabo Rojo. There is where he lives right now.

William is studying biology and he is in his second year of college. At first he tried to enter to the UPR  Río Piedras but he wasn’t accepted. For that reason William is in  “El Colegio”. These two years in there convinced him that the UPRM was the best choice. He said: “I like the “Colegio” because this is something different, it’s a good environment to study but at the same time you can have a good time with your friend’s.”

Here in “El Colegio” William is on the Judo team. This is one of his hobbies. Another hobby he has is cycling. At this time everything is going well for him. He dreams to become a doctor in the Navy. Something very interesting about William is how he sees himself in the future. “When I finish my bachelor’s in pre medical I’ll try to enter the Navy and continue my studies in medicine and become an anesthesiologist,” he said.

William is a person that fights for the thing he wants. He wasn’t accepted in Río Piedras but didn’t give up because his goal was to study in College and have a bachelor’s degree. That is an example of a person that fights and despite the obstacles he just focuses on reaching his goals.

Leonardo giving his back to the problems of the past.

  …… During my class I had the opportunity to interview Leonardo Abdala, who is an interesting person. Leonardo lives in Dorado, Puerto Rico, and was born on December 25, 1987. He enjoys working with computers, drawing, playing computer games and making them too.

…….He is currently studying Computer Engineering, but he isn’t interested in this curriculum anymore because he expected to test out software instead of working with hardware, and this particular major focuses more on hardware than software. He is currently planning to change his major to computer science, education with a focus on mathematics or English. Out of these options, he prefers to transfer to the education curriculum. If he is able to transfer to education, he aspires to be a high school teacher and even a university professor.   

…….Like I expected, Leonardo misses his family a lot when he is away from them. At the beginning it was hard for him to get used to being away from them for such long times while studying at UPRM, but nowadays he is more used to being far from his parents. Yet every weekend, without fail, he visits them in Dorado. He leaves Friday in the afternoon and returns Sunday midday. It has been a tough process for Leonardo but, like many of us studying far from our families, it serves a purpose because we have to learn to live on our own and become independent.   

…….When I asked him if he feels remorse about his decision to study far from his home he said: “No, because one always learns from things and this has been a journey of experience and one must keep going forward without looking back.”   

…….Leonardo, like many of us, has lived through numerous obstacles, especially in his studies, but his dream of achieving his academic goal has kept him from losing all hope. Leonardo has his eyes set on the future and is currently fighting for his place in it.