I knew from quite a young age that I wasn’t going to live in Panama as an adult. The country was under a dictatorship when I was growing up, and as an 8-year-old, it was quite a scary place. I do remember, though, the Christmas of 1989. Even in the midst of everything going on, our neighbours rallied around. They went out and brought back food for all the families and we were able to come together and celebrate Christmas.
In January, I was evacuated. KLM was evacuating children and minors so my sister and I left the country for a few months. At that time, being in the UK felt like a safe haven, it felt like the kind of place where the grass is always greener. When I was a small child, I used to fantasise about having a family and wondering what my life would look like when I was older. Now I’m 37 and I have a house, a wife, a child, a dog, and a job that I love. It’s nice to be able to think that when I was younger, I had a blurred vision of what my life would be, and now it’s crystal clear.
Catherine Saucedo | Specialist PMO | London
