LUDMILA ANDRÉA

Hello.

My name is Ludmila. Those who know me well call me Ludi or Mila. I have come to call myself a Vancouverite despite also having spent half of my life in Seattle, Washington. However, I like to think of myself as a citizen of the world.  I spent the last year in Barcelona, Spain. While living in Spain, I took a variety of political science, history, and journalism courses at a Catalan university, which provided me with a drastically different perspective on international affairs. Traveling is one of my greatest passions and my love for languages lends itself well to this pastime; I truly believe that being able to communicate (however badly) with individuals in another country in their own native language is one of the most incredible experiences one can have. There is no more rewarding way to immerse oneself in the culture, politics, or any other sector of a community than to make a significant attempt to relate to them linguistically. This being said, I speak Spanish and English fluently and have a pretty good grasp on French, a mediocre grasp on Catalan and German, and am currently also teaching myself Japanese on the side (this has been one of my biggest linguistic challenges, for obvious reasons).

I am of mixed-ethnicity and I think that each of my parents’ heritages and the fact that I am multi-cultural has had an immense impact on the person I have become. My father was born into a family of Slovakian refugees just after the Second World War in Winnepeg, Manitoba. My mother was born and raised in a middle class family in Guatemala (a middle class that has since then disappeared entirely) and experienced several social and political uprisings throughout her lifetime which undoubtedly shaped her political perspective. My parents are two of my best friends and I respect them more than anyone. I have a younger sister who studies at McGill who I am also extremely close with. The strength and perseverance that each and every one of my family members possesses and which has allowed them to overcome many different types of challenges and smile in the face of adversity is something that makes me incredibly proud to call myself a part of my family. My ethnic background is also something that has contributed greatly to my political identity, particularly my interest in minority rights and immigration, especially within the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Art, whatever you choose to define it as, is one of the most important constants in my life. It is the thread that keeps the fabric of my existence from unravelling within my fingertips. I live and breathe music; I have been singing for as long as I can remember and playing guitar for a few years. But even if I am not making music, you can be certain that I will be listening to it. If I could listen to music 24/7 and still be a functional member of society I would. But alas, it’s rather difficult to go to class and have some semblance of social interactions with headphones on. Still, I listen as much as possibly can. Writing keeps my heart beat constant—it’s the umbilical cord that keeps me grounded when I begin to feel disconnected from reality. I try to carry my Moleskine notebook with me wherever I go, to write down poetry, scribble down scattered thoughts, or sketch my surroundings. Writing allows me to escape; it provides me with a chance to catch my breath from the hurried and rushed lifestyle that so many of us have become accustomed to. Writing, or any art form for that matter, is free and can provide one with more comfort than many would ever think possible. My plan for many years has been to pursue a career in Journalism, hopefully as a foreign correspondent or a photojournalist, but only time will tell if that is what I’m meant to do. [my photo blog]

I became interested in politics when I was quite young, I always wondered why some people were given the power to rule while others merely spent their lives being ‘ruled.’ As I grew older I learned more how government works, and became more familiar with the notion of democracy. Growing up in my household was interesting, as my mother is extremely liberal and is, for the most part, less than enamoured with American government (particularly American foreign affairs). My father, on the other hand, is a naturalized American citizen who is absolutely brilliant and an entrepreneur in renewable energy, and who has a severe addiction to the Economist. In general, my family tends to be rather liberal. As of late, I have been keeping a close eye on the Republican race for 2012—watching the debates, and voicing my dislike of most of the candidates (except for, generally, Ron Paul).

On the other hand, having witnessed first-hand the pervasive political corruption in Guatemala, where I spent many summers visiting my family, I also have become rather disillusioned by many governments and political leaders (mostly in developing nations). My exposure to many of the lofty promises of democracy made by leaders of these developing countries (leaders who often possess zero intention of following through with their assurances) has created an underlying feeling of skepticism and cynicism that sometimes creeps up on me at inopportune moments. I am particularly interested in political theory and political philosophy.

I suppose that’s all for now. I leave you with this link: [click]. A compilation of the most powerful images in journalism from 2011.

Also, sorry. This was reeeally long. Obviously got a bit carried away…