Texas has always been a special place for me. Austin has been and always will be my home. I was born here and have grown up here my whole life. I love everything from the music, the food, the bluebonnets, the lake, and the amazing sunsets. Ever since I was a child I’ve always been an outdoorsy person. Some of my favorite memories I have as a child are when my family and I would hike at the Wild Basin Nature Preserve in Austin, and at Enchanted Rock in Fredericksburg. Even though I might have complained a time or two during the hikes, there’s nothing like reaching the top and seeing how beautiful and unique the Texas landscape is.
When I chose to study Environmental Science at Texas A&M my senior year of high school I really had no idea what I’d be learning. All I knew was that I had a huge passion for the environment and for helping others. I didn’t realize until I was interested in water conservation until I was offered the opportunity to go on a mission trip in Nicaragua back in the Spring of 2018 during my freshman year of college. On this trip, my team and I helped the village of Tapasle, Matagalpa, Nicaragua by installing water filters in their homes. This mission trip made me see how fortunate enough I was to have clean, available access to water all day, every day. It was then when I decided to become more invested in water pollution and water conservation.
Going to school at Texas A&M has given me so many opportunities to travel around the state. Two of the most memorable places was when I stayed in a cabin in Wimberley, TX which was in walking distance from Jacobs Well. Another memorable place was a ranch out in East Texas where I got to bring out my true countryside. One thing I love about Texas is how different each place you visit is. You could be in the mountains one day, and on the beach in the Gulf Coast the next.
During the summer when I home from school, my ideal day is to go to the lake and be in the sun all day. Lake Austin is one of my favorite places in Texas. I grew up every weekend swimming and boating with my close friends. I also love to take walks with my family and my dog around Town Lake. The views from these places never cease to amaze me.
After discovering my passion for water conservation I began looking for places where I could learn more about how I can help, and my search led me to Texan by Nature. I admire the work that is done at Texan by Nature and how it brings business and conservation together. I learn something new every day from this organization, and it’s a plus that its located in my favorite city, Austin! This is what makes me Texan by Nature.