Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Introductions_Due Jan 24_6pm
Hello. This is associate professor, MaryAlice Torres-MacDonald and I'm teaching your course this semester. The first blog assignment is to introduce yourself to me and to your peers in the class. I'll start, and you will respond to this posting with your introduction. Please end your blog entry with your name, since many of you have blog user names that do not match your actual name. Also, remember that every assignment that you do on this blog has to be followed up by posting it in Blackboard under the Assignment tab to the correct assignment so it can be graded.
Just to tell you a bit about myself. Many of you know that I direct the Houston Program and have been doing this since 2004. I have to say, I love it. I think I get amazing students here and I love seeing them grow to learn from the city and really love it. If you don't live in an urban setting at some point in your life (and no, the suburbs are not an urban setting), you are missing out on an experience that is incredibly relevant to your profession. Before I came to Houston, I was in Lubbock teaching and serving as the Chair of the college.
I did my undergraduate work at UT Austin (don't hold it against me, I just couldn't imagine being so far from home at that time in my life)...and my graduate work at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I've worked in both the private sector and the public sector and enjoy both teaching and learning.
Professionally, I am involved in downtown revitalization, urban design and community design. In particular, I work with cities in developing ideas for long-term change that is both positive and sensitive to their authentic identity. Now, I work mostly with smaller communities (usually under 50,000 in population) and I find that most of my work lately involves facilitation of planning and goal setting meetings, or working with committees to teach them about design and their community. I also do volunteer design services to assist communities that often don't have resources to pay for services.
I grew up in Houston and in a big family working in our family restaurant. I mention this because in my early years, I thought I missed out on so much having to work through middle school and high school, but what I learned were skills that I later used in practice and in working with the public. I guess sometimes it takes years to see the real benefit of things we do in our past.
In my spare time ? (not sure what that really is, but I do carve some out), I like to spend time with my family, go on walks, listen to music, play the guitar (I've played for many years, but I still sound like I've been playing for about a year!...but I still love it), and my latest of the last couple of years is Bikram Yoga (hot yoga), which is fast becoming my favorite of all because it is the only time I really completely clear out the cobwebs!
Welcome to Community Design & Development Resources. I look forward to the semester with you all and I look forward to reading your introductions! Now, respond to my post, but don't forget to also put it in the assignments tab in blackboard so it can be graded.
Prof. Torres-MacDonald
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Hi, my name is Bradley Rich. This is my first semester in grad school, having just completed my undergrad here at Tech. I am looking forward to this semester and to get an idea on what I want my grad school to focus on. Besides this class I am also taking product design and advanced construction. While I am in school and ever since I was fourteen I have maintained a part time job. I currently work at Autozone, in this job as well as the rest of my life I work hard to get ahead. When I am not at school or work I like to go to the gym to work out, play videogames, watch tv and movies, hang out with my friends, and play tennis. I love playing tennis and was a three year varsity in my home town of Brenham Texas. Now I currently live in Lubbock, and I love it up here, since Brenham is so close to Houston I have been in the urban setting. I am looking forward to this class and working hard to get a good grade in it. Bradley Rich
ReplyDeleteGreat intro Bradley. I responded to you in your assignment in blackboard. Welcome to the class. BTW - I love your home town...it's one of my favorites. I did work downtown back in the 90's. - Prof. Torres-MacDonald
ReplyDeleteHello, my name is Martin Gonzalez. I am from McAllen, Tx a city located in south Texas in the Rio Grande Valley. Although temperatures can be quite hot year round it's still a nice place to call home and its nothing quite like Dallas or Houston in regards to density in population. I am very much a family-oriented person so when I can I spend as much time as I can with my Dad, Mother and younger sister during vacation and summer time. I graduated as an undergrad from Tech in the fall of 2011 and now am currently enrolled in my second semester of Grad School. Of course my other courses consist of Theory in Architecture and Topical Studio. I am looking at getting my certificate in Urban And Community Design Studies to go along with my Master's Degree. When I'm not busy I'm either at the gym or hanging out with friends. I enjoy going out to coffee shops mainly to sit and relax and contemplate a little on life and how I got to where I am now, a book also accompanies me during quiet evenings. I only have one hobby and that includes some stereo headphones, an amp and of course my acoustic guitar. I've been playing for almost 7 years now and it's my go-to peace of mind when I need it. The sound of music is what I absolutely enjoy especially when it's the music that is produced through the warm tones in which any acoustic guitar creates. What I hope to gain from this course is the ability to understand the external conditions in the urban setting that greatly impact a design idea. I look forward to the seeing what this course has to offer and of course take what I learn and apply it in the professional field of Architecture.
ReplyDelete-Martin Gonzalez
Hello all! My name is Nathan Pope. I hail from the west Texas town of Odessa but currently I am calling Lubbock my home. Odessa is a town very similar to Lubbock and is trying its best to become as much like it as possible. I received my Undergraduate degree in Architecture in the fall of 2011 from Texas Tech and am just now returning to my studies. My focus for Graduate school is going to be a Masters in Architecture, a Masters of Business Administration along with my Certificate in Urban and Community Design and this semester will be my second at the Graduate level. I currently work in the architectural field at a small local Lubbock firm, Cox/Dirks Architects, and the work I have done there has inspired me to take on my ambitions of a professional degree. When I'm not at work, school or doing my homework I enjoy many different areas of gaming, drawing and music. Growing up, I found that I had a great love for music and began learning multiple instruments but to this day the guitar is the one that I have stuck with the most and have been playing now for about 13 years. An active imagination is what helps to keep my life interesting and recently I have taken to writing as a means entertainment and creative enjoyment. I am honored for the chance to see all that this class has to offer and am eager to broaden my knowledge of the Urban environment. I wish everyone a great semester and look forward to seeing the creativity of all the minds within this course.
ReplyDeleteThank you
Nathan Pope
Hello, my name is Julen Arruti and I am 23 years old. This is my second semester of grad school at Lubbock. I graduated in May 2012 with my bachelors from Texas Tech at the El Paso Tx. program. I was born and raised at El Paso and lived there my whole life until I recently moved to Lubbock a few months ago. I'm really enjoying living at Lubbock and going to school. I'm looking forward into this class to learn more about Urban Design since that is the area I want to concentrate in. On my free time some activities I enjoy doing is working out, drawing or something artistic. I like to play soccer and go running. Back in El Paso I used to train Karate since I was 7 years old, and I am glad I did that because I learned a lot of valuable things in life such as discipline and respect as well as other meaningful things about life. I still train once in a while. This semester I'm only taking three classes which are Theory, Advance Construction, and this one online. I really hope this semester goes great!
ReplyDeleteThank You,
Julen Arruti
Hello, my name is Esther Ajanaku and I am from Nigeria. I have always had a passion for urban design but things did not work out so I decided to major in Architecture. Nevertheless I am happy for the opportunity I have to at least get a certification in Urban design. My hobbies are writing, reading and drawing. I have never taken an online class before so I am so excited. I hope do great this semester. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteEsther Ajanaku
Nigeria is a lovely country except that it does not snow there. Nigeria has 3 major tribes and a diverse number of other tribes. We have 36 states and I have been opportuned to visit 15. The main and best material used for construction is concrete due climatic conditions.Pursuing my Architecture degree in Nigeria was so much fun, we would draft all night which brought joy. We were not so inclined towards computer applications because we drafted all the time. Architecture in Nigeria is so much different from Architecture in the USA.
DeleteI feel very opportuned to get my masters degree here. My passion for Architecture can not be explained, I remember in high school when I was the only girl in the design class. I cherished that period because it made me push harder my passion which has obviously led me here. As years go by I discover more about myself in regards to Architecture.
Esther Ajanaku
Hello everybody my name is Bradley Arnold and I am looking forward to finishing my last, full semester as an MOA student at Texas Tech! I originally grew up in San Antonio, went to Winston Churchill High School. There I played football, basketball and ran track. My odd talent is that I can jump really high; I use to clear 6’-7½” on the high jump, competing against the Texas State Champion on a regular basis. After turning down a couple offers to play collegiate football, I decided to go to Texas Tech and study Architecture, my true passion. After my undergraduate pursuits I spent some time grinding it out in Steamboat Springs, Fort Collins and Denver. At age 22, when I first arrived in Steamboat, I quickly found a job as a ski instructor. This was a pleasant change from the previous mirepoix job basket - of take your pick restaurant, construction and retail jobs. To this very day, I can honestly say, I have never had a job I did not like. In my free time, I enjoy playing in the great outdoors; I love exploring, hiking, swimming and climbing on rocks. Believe it or not, I also learned how to snowboard and tele-mark ski fairly well through out the years. Typically going up on the hill about 60-75 days a year. When I worked for Mountain Architecture D.G., we had a powder clause that stated, if we got more than 8 inches of snow we could work from 10:00-6:00. On a typical powder day, you might wake up early and run for the first gondola car, (commonly referred to as: pressing glass.) After a series of ski lifts and one hike to the top, time to strap in and drop forty feet off a snow-lipped cornice into chute one. If you were in the backcountry, face shots might require a snorkel. Other than that, I go see live music very often and travel as much as I can afford. Actually, I could have put JB’s children through college with all the concert tickets purchased over the years. Life has been full of hard work but also extremely rewarding. Fortunately for me, I have no cognitive filter that allows me to rationalize my outlandish dreams. Sometimes this acts as a blessing and other times as curse but nevertheless I make a conscious effort to pursue balance in my daily life. Nowadays, I am well rested on borrowed time from the east coast and my work schedule has lightened to a feather. I am gearing up for new opportunities after graduation in the world of architecture. My sketchbooks remain full as do my optimism towards the future. I look forward to taking this class now that I have a firm grasp of urban design.
ReplyDeleteThank You,
Brad
Introduction Due Jan 24 2013
ReplyDeleteMy name is Cynthia Helms. My study abroad friends call me socks. I am currently in Houston and look forward to completing my practicum work this summer and fall.
I grew up in a lot of different places. I was born in Tallahassee, FL. Then my family and I moved between Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Maryland and Texas. Now my family is mostly back in Tallahassee. My three siblings were in the military, as were my two parents. I decided not follow in their footsteps. My older brother is getting married in October this year. My older sister is working on becoming a vet tech. My younger brother is working on getting his degree in mechanical engineering. I have always been interested in art and people, so I combined the two into an architecture degree, with a minor in ceramics.
Houston is awesome. It's not the greatest city I have been to, but it sure beats Lubbock. I like to explore the city (preferably with someone stronger and male in tow). There are a lot of unsafe places here, but there are many fun places as well. I have experienced a lot since coming to Houston, experiences that Lubbock could never provide. The teachers here also provide very interesting viewpoints of the city and its development. Mr. Wilson throws a great party, which I look forward to enjoying this Saturday.
The parks and public plazas are my favorite thing to explore in Houston, and are my particular interest as far as architecture goes. Hopefully someday I can add to the beauty of urban settings by adding green spaces. I also enjoy all the unused spaces in Houston. The little spaces in between large and small buildings make the area look like a patchwork of solids and voids. Not the nolli map we all are all familiar with. Infill projects seem to be of special significance here.
That is all.
-Cynthia
My name is Sergio De Jesus. I am currently wrapping up my last semester of the Houston Program before I start my practicum in the summer and hopefully graduate in December of this year. I very much look forward to finishing my Master’s Degree in Houston.
ReplyDeleteI am originally from Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. I lived in Puerto Rico for 15 years, which definitely influenced my passion for architecture in the urban scale. There are a couple of cities in Puerto Rico that combine historical significance with new development that are fascinating. While I did not really have an interest in architecture then, I mostly grew up playing baseball every chance I could get, spending time with friends, and going to the beach. I come from a family of engineers. If you don’t believe me: my father is a civil engineer, my mother is a chemical engineer, I have an uncle who is an environmental engineer and another uncle who is a mechanical engineer, a grandpa who is a structural engineer, and the list goes on. So it only made sense to break the chain and become an architect.
My family and I moved to, of all places, College Station while my father finished his Master’s Degree at Texas A&M. He was then offered a position in Houston and we all moved there. I chose to go to school at Texas Tech in Lubbock. Lubbock wasn’t that bad. If you tried, sometimes really tried, there was something nice about that city. I also made some friendships there that made the place worthwhile. I am excited to be back in Houston to wrap up my graduate studies. It is interesting how I now view the city through different lens. I have only been a part of the Houston program for about a week now, but I already know that this is where I need to be to continue my pursuit for a career in architecture. I have always loved Houston. There is a certain randomness to this city that when you start to make certain connections becomes organized chaos. Plus Houston fuels all my interests: watching live baseball (even though it’s the Lastros) and sports in general, amazing restaurants, great music venues, interesting architecture, among many others. I am very much looking forward to wrapping up my graduate studies and practicum and continue to learn more about this great city.
Thank you
Sergio De Jesus
Hi all, my name is Zachary Mitchell. I am wrapping up my last year of graduate school here in Houston, TX. Summer/ Fall practicum will be the last thing for me to complete before graduating in december 2013, and I am excited about the opportunities to work and live in Houston. It has been great exploring Houston this past semester and I look forward to learning more during this next semester and beyond. In the small amount of free time I have I enjoy talking to my lovely girlfriend, riding my bike around, playing tennis and playing guitar. I was born in Houston and lived here till I was eight years old. I was eight years old when my family and I moved to Aberdeen, Scotland. We stayed there for 4 years before returning to the Richmond area, outside of Houston. I have been around Houston since then. I was excited to return from Lubbock and really see the urban core of Houston instead of just the outskirts. It has been great, I like Houston with all of its non-zoned qualities. I think it brings a character that most cities in Texas do not have. I like walking streets with such a unique body of land use and ownership. it is a great city with friendly and helpful people. I look forward to engaging other areas in Houston and the people that inhabit those places.
ReplyDeleteHello all, my name is Luis Velasco, I am on my third semester of graduate school and expect to graduate this December with my Masters of Architecture and Urban and Community Design Certificate.
ReplyDeleteI was born and raised until the age of 16 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Since I remember, I always wanted to be an architect maybe because of the environment I grew up with, since my dad was a construction worker and welder. I moved to the USA in search of the education my own country couldn’t provide for me. I lived in Crane Texas were I finished High School, and meet and married my wife. We then moved to Lubbock to continue with our individual careers at Texas Tech University. My wife is currently a dual language teacher at Ramirez Chatter School here in Lubbock while I am on the road to completing my Masters Degree. My interest for urban design pushed me to consider the Houston program. For various reasons I couldn’t relocate to Houston, but I am appreciative that the CoA now offers a certificate in Urban and Community Design. This career has been quite a journey, but will not compare to the journey that I will soon embark with my wife to become parents of a little boy that will change our lives in May.
I am looking forward to learn much this semester!
Luis M. Velasco
Hello!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Jessica Badoe and I am from Tulsa, Oklahoma. I am the youngest of three in my family and I am also a first generation American as my parents emigrated from Accra, Ghana. I received my undergraduate degree in Architecture in the fall of 2011 from Texas Tech. I am now in my second year of graduate school seeking a Masters in Architecture, a Masters of Business Administration, as well as a Certificate in Urban and Community Design. Whenever I can find free time, I enjoy kickboxing and photography. I have always had an interest in urban design and am very excited to continue on this path towards a Certificate. This past winter break I and had the opportunity to roam around Washington, DC and Manhattan, New York which has made me eager to learn more about what makes these types and all types of urban settings so great! I look forward to learning more about community design and development through this semester’s course.
Jessica Badoe
Hi. My name is Matt Vaclavik. I am currently in my second semester of the Houston program. I did my undergraduate education at Texas Tech University where I also worked in the Model Shop. I love tactility, so designing is usually not enough for me. I like seeing and executing a project from beginning to end and all the work in between. Therefore, I tend to like smaller projects because they are feasible for myself. That leads me to my other passion, which is product design. I always have a sketchbook that is designated to my own projects that are unrelated to architecture. Typically, my taste for consumer goods is expensive and I do not have the means to purchase such items, or they do not exist, so I built them. I enjoy the challenge of taking on new projects, the experimentation involved, and the amount of knowledge that I gain after completing them. Additionally, I love biking, sports, and being outdoors.
ReplyDeleteAfter a semester in Houston, I have found many places to bike around the city and have grown to love it. I have had a friend visit and by showing him the exciting areas of this great city he too found it appealing in only 3 days. Exploring the ins and outs of a city is exciting to me and coming across an area that I would consider a “diamond in the rough” is my favorite part. This too translates into my work in the studio where my experiences exploring the city have helped improve my designs. Looking forward to a new semester.
Matt Vaclavik
Hey Y’all,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Joshua Pape. I am in my third semester in the M.Arch Program here at Tech. I am from Red Oak, Texas (a small town south of Dallas.) I am a member of the Texas Tech USGBC. I work for TTU Housing as well as my families HVAC and electrical company in Dallas. This year we are celebrating our 40th year in business. I spend most of my free time outdoors hiking, fishing, and hunting. I am currently taking the Jim White’s studio here in Lubbock, and I have a real interest in LEED and sustainable design. I look forward to getting to know all of you more this semester.
Wreck’em Tech!
-Joshua Pape
I really enjoyed growing up in the Red Oak area. Today, Red Oak is considered to some extent a suburb of Dallas, but in the 1990’s – we saw ourselves as more of farming/ ranching community. Growing up, I remember small mom and pop stores downtown, going to the Founders Day Parades and knowing most of the people that were there, and the highlight of everyone’s week was Friday night football at Goodloe Stadium. As a kid, we rode our bikes everywhere. In the early 2000’s Red Oak really began to change, the economy was good, and houses and businesses were going up everywhere. Though the economy has slowed down, Red Oak is still a very desirable place for people to move to.
DeleteTimes have changed a little from when I was a kid, today many more people have moved into the area the population has doubled if not tripled. Attendance at the football games is better than ever, and in a way keeps the community together even with all of the changes.
Hello Everyone,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Matthew Thoma,I am from Plano, Texas. Before college, I finished my Eagle, highest rank in Boy Scouts. Came to Tech in 09 and loved it ever since. When I do have free time I go to the football games and hang with friends. I look forward to another great semester.
Matthew Thoma
With scouts I created a love for camping. My friends can admit that I was always camping during high school. I did two backpacking treks of 50 miles and a canoeing trek of 50 miles. Since starting architecture I have not been able to except when I go back to Plano during the break. Besides watching Tech, I watch more sports than just regular TV. It is a rotation of watching the Dallas Stars, Mavericks, Texas Rangers, and Tech. If I am not watching sports, doing school work or hanging with friends, I am hanging with my family or playing with my three dogs back in Plano. I had a blast when studying abroad in Paris, France. After words I wondered around in Munich then came back.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Danielle Smyth. I was born in Austin, TX. I moved to the suburbs of Austin in 2nd grade to a town just north of Austin called Cedar Park where I lived until I came to college in 2008, here at Texas Tech. I am now in my third semester of the Master program in Architecture and Business Administration. I am also planning on getting the certificate in Urban and Community Design. My expected graduation date is the Spring 2014. I am very interested in urban design and how it promotes positive changes to the surrounding community or even a city as whole. I love the city of Austin and I plan to move back there when I graduate, that is if I can find a job. I do not have too many hobbies. I enjoy the outdoors and I like going camping and hiking. I also like reading, but I try to stay away from that during school. I find books to be addicting and will sometimes stay up late at night to finish them. I am looking forward to this course and expanding my knowledge on urban design.
Danielle Smyth
Hello Everyone,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Hector Zumalacarregui, 23, born and raised in Denton, Tx. I started college in the Fall of 2007, and received by Bachelors in Architecture in May of 2011. I am currently in Dallas where I am completing my practicum at RTKL Associates. The majority of my studio design projects I have taken a minimal/simplistic approach. I am a very out going guy, love to have fun, but also know when to settle down and get things done. In my free time I love to watch movies, the majority of the time I am watching independent films. Upon graduating with my Masters I plan to travel and hopefully get a job somehwere outside of Texas for a couple of years, then later on move back to the DFW. I am looking forward to having class with y'all, so lets make it a great semester.
Hector Zuma
Hello my name is Raul I. Guerrero. I am 27 years old, I was born in El Paso Texas but I was raised in Tijuana, Mexico which is right across the border from San Diego, Calfornia. I have always been fascinated with the idea of building things, I remember a little kid enjoying building model airplanes as well as cars, painting them and feeling the satisfaction of accomplishing what in that time I set my mind to. Now days even my parents tell me that they always knew I was going to grow up to be an architect, they say I spent most of my time either drawing or building things and they noticed it took me a lot of time but I never lost my patience . In High School I was a member of TSA (Technology Student Association) which gave the opportunity of participating regionally as well as nationally. One of the national competitions I was a part of, took place in Orlando, and it involved coming up with a design for a bridge. The purpose was to see which design would hold the most weight. I received 4th place from 2500 High School students around the nation. When it was time to come back to El Paso I knew I had to make a decision about what I was going to do with my life. From there I decided to pursue the degree in architecture. I started taking architecture classes in El Paso Community College and eventually transferred to Texas Tech University in Lubbock to finish the degree. I received my Bachelor of Science in Architecture and now in graduate school I am very excited to see what the future has for me. Architecture is my passion, I have repeated many times to different people that there is nothing else in this world I would rather be doing. I had the opportunity to work for a firm in Mexico but I cannot wait to do it here in the states. I have had the privilege of living in both countries and this has given me the opportunity to open my eyes even wider.
ReplyDeleteHello, my name is Billy Henly. I am from Amarillo/Dalhart Texas, I've spent a lot of time in each and consider them both home. I've also lived in Dallas, Odessa, Brenham, College Station, and of course Lubbock. I received my B.S. in Architecture and Civil Engineering. I am currently in my 3rd Semester of Graduate School and plan to graduate in Dec. 2013. I'm looking forward to a great last year.
ReplyDeleteBilly Henly
I am an outdoors person. I enjoy playing sports, hunting/fishing, camping, pretty much anything that gets me outside. Growing up I played every sport, but mainly Football and pole vaulting. In High School I was also on the math team. I enjoy problem solving and love the professions I have chosen. They are constantly changing and pushing forward. After High School I played football for a couple of years at Blinn Junior College before arriving at Tech. I'm 27 and its taken a long time to get here, but I wouldn't change any of it.
DeleteUrban design has blown my mind and I do feel that it does make you a better architect.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Emmanuel Castrellon and I am currently in my penultimate semester of graduate school at Texas Tech. I am from Midland, Texas, which is the often overlooked but coincidentally now the richest city in Texas per capita and the second in the nation according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis as of November 2012. I mention this because one thing that I have learnt from previous urban design classes and studios is that economic health is vital to a community and its growth. I also mention this because I do sometimes envy the College of Architecture students from Dallas and Houston because I find it wonderful that they can come to Lubbock, obtain their degree, and go back home to work there; a quality that is not too common for most Midlanders.
Midland, however, is far from being anywhere nearly as cool as the DFW area or Houston is. It’s a West Texas town with West Texas ways, but it’s home and I like it. It exists only because its economy is based on oil and natural gas, and as strange as it may sound I see some parallels to Houston, specifically how influential energy is as an economic source for a city.
I had the privilege of experiencing Houston first-hand last semester and found it to be a wonderful experience. I felt that I learned so much about urban design there in one semester than if I would have concentrated all of my studios in urban design here in Lubbock. I returned to Lubbock because my wife became pregnant with our first child and we really wanted to be close to family, otherwise I would have definitely stayed in Houston and I highly recommend the program to anyone considering it.
The aforementioned statements have helped me decide where I want to go in life, and that is back home, like many of you in the College of Architecture have the opportunity to do so. I feel that Midland is very fertile ground right now since its economically is thriving and growing so much in population that it is struggling to meet housing needs, I want to be part of Midland’s new story. What I have learned in Houston I would love to implement in Midland and I know that it is not an overnight process, but if I were to enumerate the details of what I think would work based off the Houston example this would become even longer.
To conclude my intro I would like to mention that I too play guitar, I really like to work out, I stereotypically like soccer, I’m very happy to be recently married and now expecting a child, I’m the TA for Pro-Practice, and I did gain some weight in Houston but that’s because the food there is way too good with irresistible places like Becks Prime and House of Pies, but I’m happy to report that I’m working the weight off now☺.
Emmanuel Castrellon
Hello, my name is Ernesto Flores. This is my third semester of graduate school and my second here in Houston where I am pursuing the Masters of Architecture and Urban and Community Design certificate. I was born in Houston but move to California at a very young age, soon after that my family move to Mexico, my father’s decision, so we could grow up with his side of the family. We finally settled back in Houston and have been living here since the year 2000.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy playing soccer on my spare time and my favorite team is Barcelona. I can honestly say that I have learned more about Houston since starting this program than the 12 years that I have lived here. I hope to continue learning more about the city and becoming a person that can influence its future for the better.
Ernesto Flores