Living Entrepreneurship Blog / Global & Multicultural

Humans of Babson: Maria Cristina Cruz

Posted by Babson Latin American Club

Maria Cristina Cruz, 2nd Year MBA, Venezuela

maria

1. What is your favorite Latin American dish? I love arepas (the Venezuelan ones, which are different from Colombian ones), and pabellón criollo (our national dish made up of white rice, black beans, fried plantains and shredded beef)- I have no idea how to make it, so thinking of it makes me homesick! I also love our tropical fruits- I miss drinking passion fruit juice every day!

2. Why did you come to Babson? My mom did her undergrad at Babson, so I came to visit campus many times while growing up. It was always a life goal to come live here and study business. So when I was looking to get an MBA, coming to Babson was a no-brainer.

3. Tell me about a current event taking place in your native Latin American country right now. Venezuela is currently going through a very difficult political and economic situation. Last week, the Mayor of Caracas was imprisoned as part of a political persecution scheme for anyone who dares speak out against the government.

4. What has been your happiest moment in Babson? It’s hard to pick one! Definitely time spent outside the classroom with friends, exploring the city and the Northeast be it skiing, hiking or traveling around.

5. When was the last time you went home? I went home for a weekend last semester to celebrate my best friend’s wedding. It’s hard living abroad and missing pivotal moments in your friends’ and family’s lives, so I’m glad I got to go. However, this was my first time spending Christmas away from home and that was a huge shock.

6. What is the most important thing you learned in Babson? I think the most important lesson is being open minded. I feel that sometimes people get too caught up in their own mental models and forget that there’ a huge world out there and many different ways to do things. Being part of such a large international community at Babson helped me take those blinders off.