New York City is one of my favorite places in the world; there is so much going on: Big buildings, culture and never ending parties at night. So after a mind-bending week, I planned to come to Syracuse just for a day, to find housing and get to know Maxwell.

After a 6-hour bus ride, traveling in the smallest seat ever, I figured out that for some reason my phone battery was dead. For my first visit to SU, I wore my best suit, after a cold night in the city. I was thinking about the characteristic cold weather of Syracuse, not knowing that the brightest kind of Sun was ready to arise.

My first visit was to a current student’s house near South Campus. I thought it must be near Maxwell. When I realized how far I was, and after missing the bus by one minute I started my walking through graves and empty streets without a GPS or a cap. I was still in my suit, carrying a heavy backpack, and a long way to go. When I finally got to the campus, going around a few times, I felt a huge relief. The campus was big, indeed gorgeous, but felt so far away from me at that moment as I can’t even differentiate what was part of it or part of the city.

I met many people that day: Advisors, staff members, students, and a crazy guy that was selling communist literature that told me how reading his book was better than studying a Masters. People were too nice or too involved in their own issues. Part of me wanted to start the Master right away and do my best, but I also felt like I did not belong here. After visiting some other places, walking around, and guessing directions, it was time to return to New York City.

I asked myself, why Maxwell? Well, it is prestigious program, continuously ranked number one, the first one of its kind, and only lasts one year. At that moment, that was enough for me.

The first day of class I felt a little uneasy when I woke up, I was hungry and kind of late. Everything faded away when I opened the door to Maxwell and saw more than 80 people as uneasy and as thrilled as me to be starting this program. I knew then that I was just in time. Before introducing myself, I went for a cup of coffee and I got to read some words on the wall, from which I specifically remember: “We will transmit this city not only, not less, but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us”.It was the Athenian Oath, recited by Greek citizens 2000 years ago and now being brought to life once again by these same people with whom I was going to share ideas (and breakfast) with.

While sharing some experiences and laughs, I realized that I was meeting people that were having the same feelings as me, just adjusting to this new life. These are some of the most talented people I have ever met, and more importantly, we share the same desire to understand other cultures, learn new things, and try to make a change in the world. These strangers -at the moment-, with whom I could see myself reflected, were as far from home as me, and were starting to make me feel at home.

After a few weeks, I really started to get into Maxwell’s philosophy, based on its profound engagement with society by making better public servants with a strong civil sense focused on social development. I started to see Maxwell as the right place to be and how the program was ready to challenge us.

So I asked myself again, why Maxwell? The answer stopped being about giving reasons to justify my choice, and it became about how could I be what Maxwell expected from me, knowing that everything happens for a reason.

Now, three months later, I see the statue of Lincoln sitting down so static, yet so imposing. His statue wakes up past memories about history and social transformations, about future hopes and desires, remembering that he once said: “Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.”