International Vision: Almi Cabanzo

Name: Almi Cabanzo

Major: Anthropology 

Classification: Senior

Graduation date: Fall 2023

Hometown: Bogotá, Colombia

Extracurricular activities: “I’m part of the Anthropology Club and I also work at the Visitor Center. I’m part of the V squad, so I’m a tour guide at school.”

What are the differences between your hometown and the United States? “I think, primarily, it would be the weather. So, where I’m from it’s always cold. We’re up in the mountains. So, coming here, it was quite an adjustment that I had to make, where it’s hot and humid 24/7 for the majority of the year. That was an adjustment. I think, also, the cultures in general. I wasn’t expecting it to be, like, such a mix between American and Mexican cultures. I like it, because in some ways I can relate to Mexican people. Like, we have that Latin identity that unites us.”

If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? “I feel like it would be lulo, which is one that we don’t have here. It’s lulo or sometimes they call it naranjilla. It’s a really sour fruit. It looks like an orange, but then on the inside it’s green. It’s really sour and really good. Unfortunately, they don’t have it here. So, I have to wait every time that I go to my hometown.”

Who is your role model? “I would say it’s my parents. They always show me how working hard can get you to a lot of places. Not only work hard, but love what you do and you will see great results and you will live a fulfilling life. I think they showed me how love and perseverance can make things happen. And I like that they have supported me and my sister because she also traveled here to the U.S. So, they’re still in my hometown in Bogotá and supported us when we came here. … Being apart, it’s also really hard. So, I am really grateful that I have their support and that they have always been there. They’re always there to inspire me to be better and to just not be afraid to dream.”

Why did you choose anthropology as your major? “I chose to major in anthropology because I have always been fascinated by why things were and why people thought the way they did. … I was fascinated by why things were, especially when it’s related to people. And I think that it’s really important because it helps us to understand not only how we are united, but also how we are different and how different issues can be solved. I think it’s a lot to do with human understanding. And yeah, I just wanted to learn more about what it is to be human, I guess, in essence.”

What is on your bucket list? “I really want to travel more. I feel like I just really want to travel everywhere, especially Asia and Africa. I really just want to go there. My goal in the future is … to become a forensic anthropologist. So, I’ll be doing human identification research. I just really want to help people with that, especially families that have lost their loved ones to human rights violations. That’s like a thing that I’m really passionate about. The ultimate bucket list item would be to become [a forensic anthropologist] and to help families around the world and travel.”

What advice would you give other international students? “I would say don’t be afraid to do things on your own. As international students, we understand how difficult it can be to come here. So, I think it’s just important to understand that you might feel alone at the beginning. But if you try to just get out and meet people, you will not feel alone as much. So, I think that that would be my advice.”

–Compiled by Fatima Gamez Lopez