I'm reaching out to seek support for funding my sister Valeria's living expenses during her first year of studies in Spain. Your assistance will help me and my sister continue to dream big and achieve our goals.

My strong love and care for Valeria have inspired me to take on the mission of securing the educational opportunities she needs to pursue her dream of making a real difference in people's lives through a career in psychology as a psychologist. This mission carries tremendous importance, especially for Latin women of color like us, who were raised by single mothers.

Often, individuals in similar situations face obstacles in accessing the opportunities and resources necessary to build the fulfilling life they deserve.

We are currently seeking $16,912.11, and you can find a detailed breakdown of these expenses at the bottom of this page.

We have already secured her visa, enrolled her in a university-level psychology program and purchased a one-way ticket to Oviedo, Spain. Now, our focus is on ensuring her well-being during her stay. These funds will be allocated towards covering costs such as tuition, housing, food, insurance, and more.

Valeria wanted to share our story, so here it is for anyone interested in learning more about our journey and the program Valeria is about to embark upon.

From Valeria:

My name is Valeria, and my sister Dani and I share the same father but grew up in different countries, Dani in the United States and me in Colombia. We didn't know of each other for many years until we first connected in 2016 and officially met in 2017 in Bogotá, Colombia. Since then, we've built a strong sisterly bond, allowing us to share laughter, tears, secrets, clothes, inspiration, and dreams. My sister has been a crucial part of my life, inspiring me to aim high.

Now, I'm pursuing my dream of becoming a psychologist in Spain through a specialized health training, Formación Sanitaria Especializada (FSE) program. This program is designed to equip me with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in the upcoming exam scheduled for February 1, 2025. Successfully passing this exam will open the door to a rewarding 4-year psychology residency in a Spanish hospital.

Below, you will read a small part of our story, about how two sisters who share the same father made the decision to get to know each other in their adult lives. We were both born in a wonderful country, Colombia, known for its natural richness and culture. However, we would be separated for years until we finally found each other.

I am currently 24 years old, while my sister Daniela Arias is 29. Now we know about each other, but it wasn't always like that...

The Beginning: Our Mothers

Gloria, at the age of 20, met John in Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, and from their union, my sister Daniela was born. Four years later, Mónica, who was at that point 24 years old, met the same man in the Municipality of Tuluá, Valle del Cauca, and from their union, I was born. Both women, at different ages, different years, and different cities, shared a particular characteristic: they were single mothers who worked hard to provide us with the opportunity for a better future. Our father did not stay in either of our lives for long; for both of us, he was just a ghost who appeared and disappeared.

Gloria, Daniela's mother, decided to emigrate to the United States to stabilize her life and bring Daniela with her, providing her with more opportunities than she could find in our country. On the other hand, my mother decided to work hard to purchase a home so that both of us would have a better place to live. That's how, as little girls, we moved thousands of kilometers apart and grew up in different countries, with different cultures and different realities. However, Daniela knew of my existence, and John, our father, brought us together on one occasion. At that time, Daniela would have been about 5 years old, and I was one year old. Of course, I don't have that memory, but as for Daniela, she remembers it vividly. So, in a matter of years, we would meet again.

Valeria, John and Dani (Colombia, 1999)

An Unexpected Call: Our Reunion

In 2016, at the age of 17, I received a call that went something like this: "Hello, I'm Daniela, your sister." My mind exploded; I had a sister! I knew she existed because my mother had mentioned it, but without knowing anything about her and having no way to contact her, it was just information that floated in the air. Everything seemed like madness at that moment, but from there, we started a communication that would not stop. Less than a year later, in 2017, my sister Daniela would come to Colombia, and I would travel to Bogotá to make way for our first meeting as young adults, the first of many.

Valeria, photo taken by Dani (Bogota, Colombia 2017)

There is something that is rarely talked about when you are an only child, especially when your only family is your mother, and that is the fear that at some point in life, you could be completely alone. Meeting Daniela made that fear disappear from my life, and it was beautiful to know that in the world, even with several thousand kilometers of distance between us, there was someone I could call Sister. We gave ourselves the opportunity to get to know each other until we formed the family relationship we have today. We gave ourselves the opportunity to play like little girls, scold each other, cry, share secrets, laugh until we cried, share clothes, inspire each other, console each other, love each other, help each other dream, see each other grow, and see each other achieve goals, like our college graduations. We have given ourselves and continue to give ourselves the opportunity to reclaim the childhood years we didn't share together.

Vale and Dani (Bogota, 2019)

Vale and Dani (Peru, 2021)

Also us (Peru, 2021)

Vale and Dani (Bogota, 2022)

A Little About Me: Dreaming Big

Being the younger sister, I have felt great support from Daniela – emotional, familial, and financial support. She has been a source of inspiration, seeing how she has achieved what she set out to do, how she ventured to explore the world and, in the process, herself, was an inspiration for me to dream big. In 2017, I began my career, choosing to study psychology, and in 2022, I successfully completed it. In my last year, I had the opportunity to do my university internships for 9 months in a hospital in my city. There, I discovered a part of myself that knew that working in healthcare centers was something I wanted to dedicate myself to. I found so much richness in this place, every population of patients (mothers, children, adults, teenagers), and even the healthcare staff (doctors, nurses, orderlies, etc.) affirmed to me with every experience that serving others is what life is about. However, I knew that if I wanted to give my best as a psychologist to my patients, I needed specialized training to become the professional I dream of becoming.

It was at the end of my college career that I began my search for a specialization. With the support of my sister, I allowed myself to look for opportunities outside my country, and that's how I found the Formación Sanitaria Especializada (FSE) in Spain. In the following points, I will explain briefly what it consists of:

I researched and researched for days, seeking to gather information and understand the process better. I contacted students from Spain, looked for academies, costs, possibilities, advantages, and disadvantages, and with every piece of information I found, I realized that it was something I really wanted to pursue. However, the path would not be easy.

Currently, psychology has only one specialization (Clinical Psychologist Specialist), which limits the number of positions offered by the state. Currently, there are a total of 247 positions for around 4,000 applicants. This is why preparation and training for the exam require a strong commitment and discipline on the part of the applicant. Although it is possible to obtain a position in the first year of preparation, PIR (Psicólogo Interno Residente) applicants typically take an average of three years to achieve it.

Finally, I am very proud and happy to share that I’ll be preparing for the exam in an academy called APIR, which will provide me with all the necessary tools for 11 months to pass the exam and obtain a position. My course starts in March 2024 and culminates on the day of the exam on February 1, 2025. Therefore, I plan to travel to Spain in March. Financially, I only have the support of my sister because my mother, who does not have a professional education and works in positions where she only earns the minimum wage in my country (Colombia), cannot afford to provide me with this support.

Your support will make a significant difference in my life and in the lives of countless others Thank you for reading my story, and I hope you’ll consider supporting me as I set out to fulfill my dreams.

~Valeria

Expenses for 1 year March 2024 to Feb 2025