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The Hard Life of the Amazon Essay

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Almost every inhabitant of the Colombian Amazon has an interesting story to tell about their home, which is one of the most amazing places in the world. The Amazon provides survival experiences, exotic food, extreme recreation, and a unique livelihood to all those who have lived there. However, the character and future of many has also been shaped by a context of poverty, harsh violence, restricted opportunities, geographical disparities and gender inequity. Almost everyone who has loved and lived under the magic of the Amazon has also lost loved ones. Many have died there, either by direct armed conflict or by the weakness of the State regarding law enforcement and insufficient ability of services to meet basic needs. I was raised in one …show more content…

This environmental and social context has always encouraged me to better myself, the members of my family, and the rest of the society that dwells in there. Obtaining my undergraduate degree in Microbiology and my master’s degree in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics allowed me to work for nearly eight years in public goals oriented to sustainability in the Amazon Region. In my professional experience I noticed that we are losing the fight against environmental degradation, despite the efforts of Colombian institutions inspired by the Rio de Janeiro Convention. My experiences in life, along with my academic and professional background, have enlightened my pathway to earn a PhD degree and become a pioneer for women in the Colombian Amazon region to reach a doctoral degree. I studied Microbiology not only because of my great interest in this field but also because of its applicability to conservation of the Amazonian biodiversity. This formation in an experimental science gave me tools for understanding the rules of life and the ecological principles. Due to limited opportunities to find a job in microbiology, I switched to applied economics. I found this field very useful for my region and saw opportunities to research in a social science, another equally important field for conservation. During my formation many courses caught my attention and expanded my analytical skills. In particular, Welfare Economics, Agricultural

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