This is Pablo Cucul. I was born in Cobán, but I have lived most of my life in San Pedro Carchá. I am twenty-nine years of age. I am the third child out seven children in my family. I found out about the Guatemalan Student Support Group when I was in 7th grade. At that point I was thirteen years old. I got the opportunity to travel to the United States to learn English in the summer of 2005 and I lived for six months with Mr. and Mrs. Bonds in Raleigh, North Carolina.
I was able to learn English thanks to the continuous support of my host family. In 2008 I traveled to Raleigh one more time but this time to start my high school studies at Saint Thomas More Academy. In 2012 I graduated from high school and was able to get a one-year full scholarship in Business Administration at Siena College in Loudonville, New York. At Siena College I was able to live to full American college experience.
I came back to Guatemala at the end of 2013. I am currently in my last year in Forest Engineering at Rafael Landivar University. I am focusing my thesis research work on Agroforestry systems and biodiversity conservation in this area of the country. Since 2020 I have been working as an English teacher at San Carlos University School of Languages. It has been a tremendous experience given that I get to share what I know with other university students. Education is the most powerful weapon, and I am blessed to be able to contribute to the education system.
In the future I would like to open my own English academy to help bring about change to this nation that desperately needs it and give the opportunity to impoverished students to learn a new language and have better opportunities in the future. I also want to participate in politics and find a way to make this country a better place for future generations. Another goal that I have is to teach at the university level in my field of study.