A reflection of my time at the University of Leeds.

One of the activities that I have enjoyed the most as a Link to Leeds ambassador has been writing blogs. In the blogs, I share my experiences as a Mexican about my life in Leeds, food, my friends, and everything related to my experience as an international student. However, this blog is different as this is my last blog as an ambassador. It is sad because it means that I will no longer be part of this great team but at the same time I feel happy because this means I have completed another stage in my life.

During my time at Leeds I was very happy, I knew that I was fulfilling one of my biggest and longest dreams, the people who know me, know that I am not lying when I say that for a long time I wanted to do my master's degree abroad and I was achieving it. I really liked being at the University. Visiting the common ground of the LUU for a coffee, staying late in the library, going to the gym to swim or one of the many classes, and above all, ending the week with a burger and a pint of beer at the Old Bar and on Sundays go to mass and then have a Kebab for dinner. All of these were among the things that I enjoyed the most during my stay in Leeds.

This year was a roulette of emotions, I started celebrating my birthday with an amazing party with all the friends I made at the University without knowing that this would be the last party I would attend in a long time and even the last time I would see my friends from Leeds all together in the same place. Days later, the restrictions due to the pandemic began and my life changed. With the school closed, we had to migrate to online education, this was definitely not in my plans. Many trips were cancelled and in general, the whole life and study abroad experience became very different.

I returned earlier than planned to my country and from Mexico, I was able to finish my thesis. I was uncertain about what the process of finishing my online master's degree would be like. Without a doubt, it was not easy, it was even a process that frustrated me. Although I must admit that the school was always caring for us, they supported us with the purchase of books and materials that we needed, with any questions we had, they were always there for me.

At the end of the day, the sleepless nights and long days of reading and writing my thesis paid off, I managed to graduate with distinction! When I received my qualification I was very happy to know that I had finally managed to obtain the title of Master in International Communication.

One of the main concerns I had when I returned to Mexico was where I was going to work. However, the process of finding a job was quite fast. Without a doubt, being a graduate of one of the best universities in the world and with a renowned name, gave me very good credentials. In addition to expanding my academic skills, it also increased my job opportunities. Now, I am in Guadalajara, working for the State Government working on a great project of innovation and management for results. I know that whatever job challenge I set for myself, it will be easier to achieve it having on my CV my Master's degree from the University of Leeds.

Everything I have achieved up to that point, I did not do it alone. I want to thank God for giving me the strength and the opportunity to finish this work and to finish my master's degree. I also want to thank my family. First, to my two great pillars, my parents, Ana María and Raúl, thank you for your infinite love and for your total support not only to conclude this master's degree but also for always encouraging me to believe in myself and to go as far as I wanted (literally, to another continent). I also want to thank my siblings, Ana Elena and Raúl, for giving me words of encouragement and scolding when necessary.

Also, a special thanks to my new friends in Leeds. It makes me happy to know that I have friends on all continents and in many countries and also in many cities of Mexico. I want to tell them that they have a house in Mexico and in Zamora. Without a doubt, this was one of the best experiences, as I learned a lot from each of them. It was the best to have the chance to meet you and from my heart, I really hope to see you guys soon. Likewise, my lifelong friends in Mexico were very important during my stay in Leeds, for their solidarity and support in this unexpected and intense year. They always encouraged me when I felt like I couldn't keep going.

I also want to thank the staff of the School of Media and Communication for sharing their knowledge with me and for their help. Most importantly, a huge thank you to Dr. Pablo Morales for his continuous support and recommendations on my dissertation. I also thank the International Office team for giving me a job that didn't feel like work. Annica, Hannah, Emma, and Megan, you are an amazing team. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to be an ambassador and to meet the other ambassadors, such amazing and talented people.

Finally, I want to thank my alma mater, the University of Guadalajara, because thanks to them I had the enormous opportunity to successfully complete this professional goal. Now, not only do I have the heart of a lion but I also now carry the "Gryphon" in my heart.

Thank you and see you soon University of Leeds, regardless of whether the world is upside down, you were a great experience that will stay with me forever.