Angélica Marie Lasanta Maldonado, a 23-year-old from Barranquitas, Puerto Rico, is studying veterinary medicine in Glasgow, Scotland, over 6,700 kilometers from her homeland. She never imagined she would end up there, but an opportunity arose after she graduated with a bachelor's degree in cellular molecular biology from the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) in Río Piedras. Lasanta Maldonado also has a second concentration in drawing, as she enjoys the arts.
While studying biology, she decided to pursue veterinary medicine, knowing it would likely require her to leave Puerto Rico. She researched accredited universities, initially considering the United States, but also looked into international options, including the University of Glasgow, which a friend had recommended. Having previously visited the UK to see her aunt, who worked in England, Lasanta Maldonado was drawn to the atmosphere and decided to apply to the University of Glasgow.
To cope with homesickness, she even learned to make traditional Puerto Rican pan sobao. The story is part of the series 'Boricuas en la Luna,' which highlights the experiences of Puerto Ricans living abroad.