Written by Christine Ongcangco (BMath '06)
It’s been almost 10 years since I graduated from the BMath program. On graduation day, if you had asked me where I saw myself in the future, “living in a rural village in Nicaragua” would not have been my answer. But yes, even out here, everything I need to know I learned from UWaterloo Math.
- Do your homework. Before my first trip to Nicaragua, I researched the heck out of it – culture, etiquette, language, food, safety—everything. And in doing my homework I felt well-prepared and confident I could get some things right. Of course, there were bound to be some surprises. Very much like exam days at Waterloo.
- When frustration hits, shake your head, smile and keep going. Power outages, cows blocking the road, continuous down pour for days straight… mud everywhere. And just as I would do with that math problem I couldn’t solve, or that theory I couldn’t find proof for: I shake my head (throw my hands up in utter frustration!) and keep going.
- Get to know your neighbour. I’m no social butterfly and my Spanish is nowhere near perfect, but I do my best to know the names and faces of the community. Volunteering with local co-operatives has really given me an opportunity to integrate more with other women in the village. And just like in math class, it’s not just about having a ‘classroom buddy’, it’s about being open to meeting others. You may just stumble upon someone interesting!
- Get excited about a challenge. A friend and I have just launched a small business (So(u)l Collective) and challenges seem to be never-ending – trying to coordinate between Nicaragua, Guatemala and Canada is not always easy! But we’re determined to stay excited through all the ups, and more importantly, the downs. (Ok, I admit that getting excited about CS assignments during my days at Waterloo was NOT easy for me.)
- Keep the coffee pot ready. Sometimes when the going gets tough, the tough needs a cup of joe. Ten cups a day can’t be good, but indulging in fair trade, locally-grown Nicaraguan coffee when you need a cup or two never hurt anybody. Or perhaps three? You know how it is, de-bugging your CS assignment with less than 30 minutes to the submission deadline.
My UWaterloo experience taught me hard work and motivation – inevitable when you are alongside some of the most talented and driven students and professors. From being a new grad (working for a real estate/investment banking company in Toronto), to where my journey takes me today (starting my own small business in Nicaragua!), I take with me all the math/life lessons learned. Looking at the beautiful Nicaraguan landscape in front of me, I think a similar thought to that on graduation day: how thankful I am for the past and how excited I am for the future. All while my inner mathie can’t help but ponder the Fibonacci sequence occurring in all this beautiful nature surrounding me.