#thelisc

Since October of 2018 until now, I’m living in Geneva Switzerland, I’m part of the 33th edition of the Leadership and International Security Course from the Geneva Centre For Security Policy, the current funding is because of the amazing goodwill and for the first three months, I was covering everything with my middle-income salary.

In this course The Lisc I have changed a lot of perspectives, here I have learned to value myself as a person and as a leader and as a professional policymaker, I have perfected my English written skills and now I’m sure that “security” and political strategies are way wider that we are aware of…and more.

I still have two more months to finish (and keep growing-learning) as part of this course but I would extend the invitation, especially to women in the security field to apply for this candidacy and be part of the 34th Edition of #TheLISC.

How did I make it?

Last year, meanwhile I was working as a public servant for the Ministry of Social Development, I was checking my morning work-email and I received a professional international opportunity to grow (along with 5000+ employees in other federals institutions received the same offered) it was the call for candidacy to the LISC course.

I carefully read the full course description and I did everything they require, I manage (struggle) to have my boss letter of reference and his approval for the international commission, the proof of my level of English as a second language, proof of all my educational background, a letter of motivation and two interviews.

I tend a lot to underestimate myself and at that moment I was slightly down, then I thought "there is no way I'm going to make it, is Switzerland, be realistic" After all, I'm a middle-class woman, my parents don't have a cent to support me there, my family is not of politicians or investors, I only have one article published, I haven’t graduate of my Master yet, I have been rejected to work in the field that I wanted to work for that past 3 years, my only non-profit project is in standby, some of my superiors (all of them men) think I'm another cute, but delusional female who it's always trying to innovate in institutional human rights and follow the law.

After officially the Mexican Government sends me a rejection letter from my application (and got really depressed) in two days I received another email from the GCSP telling me you are booked for a first interview, then you are booked for a second interview and finally, you have been accepted.

I couldn’t believe it, I almost got a heart attack, my dream of living abroad (in a complete deferent culture) for an extended period, speaking English was a possibility for me! After all, that news helped me to focus on my good achievements (being a young female in a high performance-political team, a volunteer for immigrant rights, being part academic research network and many more), I wasn’t delusional, I wasn’t mediocre, I wasn’t bad at my professional life! They give me a reason to keep doing what I love to do.

I sold everything that I had (clothes, furniture, shoes, everything) I reached to one of my friends of Central 16, asking for them to helped me to make a video asking for help for institutional support., I found out that, no one besides me and a male colleague from another institution, had applied for being part of this intensive course and my case was kind of “new thing” for my institution.

With a lot of efforts and full of uncertainty I've decided to take this one in a lifetime opportunity, my boss approved the commission (with a warning that he couldn’t grantee that this 2019 the New government will respect what he has signed) and even the first three months where super hard (finding a super low cheap rent, quitting all my used to-privilege habits of having a restaurant meal, a drink or chubby food etc) now I couldn't be more than grateful and happy to be part of this course.

I have learned -keep learning- a lot of “specific” knowledge of security, leadership, mediation, 2030 agenda and more, but also about my personals skills, I have gain confidence in myself and my professional background and finally I'm no longer depressed or diminished.