Thank you, Mozaiko

Imagine a hot humid breeze, a hammock between two coconut palm trees, and the ocean in view. In the air, you can smell the salty water, fried plantains, rice with beans, and your grandma’s perfume. In the background, you hear ‘coqui, coqui!’, a unique sound made from the national frog, and a salsa song that is more flavorful than the food (that’s pretty hard to beat).

That is where my family is from: a small but proud island in the Caribbean called Puerto Rico. I didn’t grow up on the island, but I carry its essence with me every day. I have explored their language, their roots, their food, and their music. It not only grew my love for the culture of my family, but it also opened a path for appreciating other people’s essence. This is something I wanted to carry going into Virginia Tech and did so through Mozaiko, a living-learning community on campus.

I have been in Mozaiko for three years, and now I will be entering my fourth year. As a first-year student, I was nervous to see new faces, but it wasn’t long before I found my people with whom I could share my passion of Latin dance or watch shows that were in everything but English. As a sophomore, I was nervous again, but now for a different reason. I entered my first leadership position as Spanish House director, guiding students in their Spanish learning journey and spreading the love for Latin culture. As a junior, I was excited for my new position. I wanted to use my previous experience to help all the other students in the same position, in my new role as vice president of language directors.

Mozaiko is a place where similarities between heritage are looked at, as well as their differences, and these differences aren’t judged but celebrated. People around me are eager to learn and immerse themselves in something unknown. I shared my experiences with them and practiced different languages. I became part of a community that contributes to creating a safe space to learn about a variety of cultures, to ask questions, and to gain new experiences.

I have gained so many memories in the past three years in Mozaiko. Friends have taught me new vocabulary and perspectives. I have shared my Spain study abroad experience and have influenced people to go on the same trip. Language houses competed against each other in Mozaiko Olympics. There were countless nights where I studied with other students in the dorm, moments where adrenaline was pumping through my system because of ideas I wanted to implement. I remember the excitement I felt to go through our haunted house for the fifth time in a row (it was still amazing!). There are just some things I will never forget.

As a senior now, I am grateful to be Mozaiko’s president, carrying on all the important lessons I have gathered on the way and continuing traditions that have been built. Thank you, Mozaiko, for giving me the best dance partners, growth as a leader, fellow language/culture enthusiasts, and for being my second home. Thank you for teaching me that I am more than my ethnicity and for giving me a space to accept myself. I hope to do the same for others.