Anna, 24

What is your favorite word? Feliz, it means happy. 

What is your least favorite word? A bad word such as “Fuck you”, it’s a really strong word that I don’t like. Do you use it a lot? Sometimes, when I get really angry.

What turns you on? A sense of humor. Funny people are my people.

What turns you off? Being judgemental, mind your own business and let people be themselves.

What is your idea of perfect happiness? Being at peace with myself. The feeling that I can handle everything or control the things that can happen and let go of the things I can’t. Is that a work in progress? I think I’m really happy right now.

Which living person do you admire the most? My parents. That’s why I’m here because of them. I came here alone at first then my dad found a job, my mom came afterward, and finally we’re getting our citizenship this Friday, that’s a big step for us.

What is the best year of your life so far? 2017. I ended a really toxic relationship that lasted 3 years. I went to Thailand and I was teaching English. I was helping kids who were struggling with money. 2017 for me was about discovering myself and it allowed me to do what I do now. 

Is it difficult to end a toxic relationship? It was really hard. I knew that person loved me and I loved that person but we loved each other in different ways. That is something that I learned, you can love someone but that person would like to be loved in another way and you can’t be together because I am expecting something else that you would never be able to give me. 

When did you have the courage to end it? After getting back from Thailand. When I was in Thailand, I was myself and realized that I did not need someone. I also recognized that I spent a lot of time not being happy, laughing, or being silly and that’s who I am. 

How do you want to die? Being old. Like being a 100-years old. 

What is your current state of mind? I want to make the business better. 

How can you help make the world a better place? By being kind to other people. Honestly, just simply being nice to people and trying to listen to what they’re saying. If I want to know how people are doing I will actually ask them and take the time to listen, not just saying “How are you?” to be polite. 

What is your motto in life? We rise by lifting others. I believe that the more you help others, the better you feel about yourself. 

What do you consider as your greatest achievement? Being able to move here and just be me - and to stop caring about what other people think about myself. 

What is something you would like to try that is outside your comfort zone? Starting a spin studio. It’s something that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time but I was not yet brave enough to try it. I finally completed my whole training and started it. I knew that one day I’m gonna teach. I love making people feel good and achieve their goals. 

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I need to be more accepting of certain things. Sometimes, I get sad because I start thinking how my life used to be so I need to accept that I’m here and I need to live the “here and now” - to enjoy what I have and not what I used to have. Like when my parents came here they have to work compared to back home where we are really in a good situation. 

How was life back home? (Venezuela) It was way better. Which is usually not the case right? I left in the right year, now I can’t go back and have the same life I had, even if I wanted to I couldn’t. I was happy because I was young, my parents were in a really good situation and money-wise. We have our whole life planned and figured-out and I did not have to worry about money and then I had to grow up really fast because I was left here alone without knowing the language. I came here when I was 18 and I did not have any friends or family. It’s really scary but people here are really accepting and nice.

If the people around here will stop what they are doing and will listen to you, what will you tell them? To stay active and stop caring about what other people think about them, you just need to be yourself. How do you get to that place? When I was in Thailand, I stayed there for two months and I traveled alone sleeping on the floor, eating rice and eggs - it humbles you. 

What’s the benefit of attending your fitness training/class? If you’re looking to lose weight or to build and tone muscles but it gives you hope with many things like if you come in and you’re stress, listening to music and someone telling you to “go faster” it helps you to forget about your problems, at least for an hour and that’s going to help you live a better life.(For more information visit, www.velocyraptorindoorcycling.ca)

If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? You made it.