A lot of people dream of becoming a nurse or a doctor. The thought of aiding others feels very rewarding, like an accomplishment. Wearing the white coat feels empowering, but to realize that dream a lot of people back out considering all the work that has to go in. But not Meli Lopez.
Lopez is a 17-year-old junior at Amherst High School. Ever since she was a little girl, she had the dream of becoming a nurse. After she graduates from Amherst high school, she plans to attend a college around the area to stay close to her dad and best friend, Jazz. “I think it’s important to stay by my dad and friends to enjoy these special and life changing moments,” she said.
Outside of being a nurse, she has a passion to cook foods from different countries. Not only does she like to cook, she also likes to bake cookies. Other hobbies she has is reading or sitting by a nice calm lake. She enjoys swimming and fishing and sitting in the sand. Meli loves to be outside , however, when it is raining or cloudy she will just wrap herself up in a blanket like a burrito, grab a bunch of snacks, and binge-watch classic horror movies and romance stuff in her bed all day.
Before she moved to Amherst in November of 2023, she lived in Petén,Guatemala. She attended INEB and had lots of friends that she enjoyed going out with and partying or watching fireworks during September 15 to celebrate Guatemala’s independence day. Whenever she hears reggaeton she can’t help to move her body to the beat and sing along. Meli is a person of high character. “I like calm and positive people, but also joke around” and she believes surrounding herself around positive people helps improve her self image and makes her feel better about herself overall.
On top of all that, Meli is super curious and loves to explore. Meli always sees beauty in new things and random places. Her ultimate dream is to one day fly to Brazil because she is dying to see the super soft sand and catch those gorgeous, Pinterest-worthy sunsets along the beach. Meli is driven by a determination to backpack across every neighboring country, excited to explore new cultures and discover different regions, ultimately hoping to uncover the historical context of her previous home.
In the end, Meli Lopez truly represents the true meaning of resilience, high character, and ambition as she goes through hard challenges being a foreign exchange student. Moving from her vibrant and tropical life at INEB in Petén, Guatemala, to Amherst High School in a completely new country is very difficult, yet she continues to tackle her medical dreams one step at a time without backing out. Whether she is dancing to reggaeton, baking cookies, or planning a local college future to stay close to her dad and best friend Jazz, Meli easily balances her love for her roots with a deep curiosity for the world. Driven by a determination to backpack across neighboring places around her home and discover Pinterest-worthy sunsets in Brazil, she proves that no matter how hard it is to adjust to a new home, an adventurous spirit will always find beauty in random places.
