Yesterday, I defended my doctoral thesis. I am now officially a Doctor in Astrophysics. This is the end of a journey that I started 14 years ago, when I decided to study a Bachelor in Physics at one of the universities ( @uvggt) of my home country, Guatemala. Thread

I don't like to blow my own horn, but I would like to share what this means to me and to my country. I have been amazed by the Universe ever since I was a kid. Though originally, I wanted to be an astronaut, but that dream evolved with me wanting to become an Astrophysicist.

In Guatemala, there is no possibility to study Astrophysics. So very early on, I knew I would have to leave my country to follow my dream. However, leaving wasn't going to be easy. So first, I did the undergrad program in Physics in Guatemala. With a partial scholarship.

I know that having a scholarship means that you had good grades in high school (which I did), but I also recognise the privilege I had of not having to work during my childhood. This is certainly not the case of many children. Specially indigenous children.

I did the bachelor in Physics (which lasts 4-5 years) and I was drained. I must confess that Physics was always a very difficult subject for me, so doing a whole career in that was not easy. I had no strength (or money) to continue a Master program abroad. So I started working.

I worked for about 3 years, during which I built up my CV from zero. You see, I had no experience at all with Astronomy. And I knew that the only way to study abroad was through a full scholarship, where I would compete against people with strong backgrounds in Astronomy.

Maybe even people who had done a Bachelor in Astronomy or something. So I applied everywhere, and I got rejected a lot. Until I got awarded the full scholarship to study in Europe. Six years and a half later and I did it. I got my PhD degree.

Even though I know that this is a great step for Guatemalan women and for #WomeninSTEM in general, I want to take a moment again to acknowledge the privilege I had. I was able to only study as a kid, and to pursue a university degree in Guatemala.

I hope that, in the future, more women are able to follow their dreams. It is hard, but I think, if we persist and get up even when life punches us down, we can make it. I am happy to be the first female Guatemalan astrophysicist who did her undergrad studies in Guatemala.

I finally join the lines with Tanya Urrutia ( @astrobellatrix), the first female Guatemalan astrophysicist, she did her undergrad studies in Germany.