A 19-year-old university student in the United Arab emirates currently studying at Preston University for a Bachelor's degree in Fashion Design, I havealways been very interested in art, music and literature. These three have always been a part of my life from a very young age, and it has always been my dream to pursue a career which involved all three.

My grandfather was an artist as well and several of his paintings still hang on the walls of my home in the UAE as well as in the Philippines. One of my favourites is that of a thorny rose.

"Of course, as a child, it was very easy to just believe that things would come to pass as I willed them.

"But time and age teaches us all that we must work for our goals, our dreams. Because dreams are not promises. There is no guarantee that those dreams will come true. But I believe that it is up to US to make them come true.

"We make our own futures, we shape our own destinies, we decide our fates."

--Gloria

20th May 2008