I remember the journey on the airplane that took my brother and I across the Atlantic ocean to a life that was unknown to us. I was seven. He was twelve. We left our parents behind. They would join us later. An aunt would await our arrival at the Miami airport. I saw my home in El Salvador drift away slowly beneath the clouds and with it the innocence of my childhood. War and exile wiped away the toys, the play, my friends, the first grade. I took flight and began the journey of my life.

Later I would return back home to El Salvador as a teenager. I didn’t want to return. I was used to the Miami lifestyle and I would miss my friends.  I had no choice. I was too young to make my own choices. Instead I chose to give my parents the silent treatment for a month which, in reality, lasted about 3 days.

Once I graduated high school, I made my way across the Atlantic Ocean again. This time to Atlanta, GA. where I would study Visual Communication and art. I received the Best Portfolio Award from The Art Institute of Atlanta. I drove across the country to Portland, Oregon where I received my Bachelors Degree in Fine Art from The Pacific Northwest College of Art.  I received an offer to work  but I declined.  I went back to El Salvador by choice. Something bigger than life was calling me home; destiny.

My destiny led me back home only to return a few years later.  I received my Masters in Fine Arts degree  from the University of Baltimore. I proudly claimed The Ampersand Award which was given to the student that best exemplified the spirit of the Publication Design program and I also received the award for the best graduate project;the bimonthly magazine; Nomad – Travel in Emerging Nations. I knew then what I wanted to do with my life and career.  I wanted to write about, design, communicate and express through photography, the world of adventure travel and cultural understanding. I was determined to tell a good story.

Place: My Planet
Date: 12 Dec-1979
Impression & Feelings: My journey began in the early 80's with war and exile.