Carlos Arturo Paez Gonzalez 

Equipped with a rubber duck farewell gift from an ex and his late father’s sunglasses that his mother entrusted him with, Carlos sets out on a new adventure of self-growth. 

Moving to Toronto marked a significant turning point in Carlos’s journey. Originally from Venezuela, Carlos and his family moved to the UAE after third grade. He attended an international school that immersed him into a multicultural community. Carlos found comfort in having his plate full with extracurriculars, such as plays and art exhibitions. As someone who channels his motivation through his interactions with others, he created long-lasting friendships that continued to accompany him in his ventures in Downtown Toronto. One of his most memorable experiences so far involves his exploration of this new city with his old friends.

During his last year of high school with the pandemic, Carlos found it grueling to navigate his life in lockdown and curfew. Like a stone wall in between his interactions with his friends, his motivation plummeted. Coming to Toronto amidst the easing restrictions, Carlos has been re-building his infrastructure and exploring ways to become more self-assured. His confidence has been growing through the help of UTSC’s services and accessible events. Growing in his confidence, Carlos became the Director of International Students at the SCSU in his first year where he is not afraid to speak up about the scarce scholarship opportunities for students in specific programs.

Now entering his second year, Carlos looks forward in continuing to be a part of the community in a substantial way. He is getting back into his groove that he had pre-pandemic with an added layer of confidence. As he learns the importance of looking out for ourselves, he emphasizes that things do get better and it’s not all hopeless. It just takes a lot of time and thinking to get through things. Carlos is finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.