Natalia Aguirre, TCS graduate and author of “300 days in Afghanistan” participated via zoom in one of the literary events of May 6 made to celebrate TCS 75th anniversary.

9th grade students had the opportunity to ask questions to the author about her book, her life, the influence her trips had on her, and the privileges/disadvantages she faced throughout her journey as a doctor. 

“I do think that it could be better because only a few select students were able to experience this whereas the 75 years of school celebration should be something the whole school can participate in,” Candelaria Gomez, Grade 9, said.

The 9th grade Spanish teacher selected students to assist the event during X-Block. Opinions varied in the interest students had towards the event, some state there was engagement while others did not pay attention nor participated in the active conversation.

“I think there was a clear disinterest in this presentation, especially considering that many of them were there because there was an incentive behind it and not because they showed interest in the presentation,” Santiago Ramos, Grade 9, said.

The conversation began with premeditated questions made by 9th graders selected by Johana Restrepo, the Spanish teacher. Around 20 of those questions were asked before having a space to talk freely to the author. Students talked with Aguirre about topics non related to the book but to her experiences in life and school.

“I thought that it was a really good presentation, but it was clearly showing that the author wrote the book a long time ago as many of the questions were answered improperly in the sense that she didn’t remember many of the facts,” Ramos said. 

Some of the topics covered during the conversation included the barriers of language in her arrival to Pakistan, the mindset that all humans are the same no matter the place, and how violence in Afghanistan was not a shock to her due to the violence she had already seen in Medellín during the times of Pablo Escobar. 

“I feel that it really opened our perspective and gave us a different point of view from the published author, particularly her because she went to Afghanistan, she really gave us a new perspective on life in Afghanistan, especially as a Colombian woman and doctor in another country,” Gomez said.  

Aguirre has traveled to various parts of the world due to her work as a gynecologist. Her international medical journey began with the organization “Medicos Sin Fronteras”. The organization assigned her to a mission in Afghanistan, a trip in which she wrote a series of emails that would later be turned into her book “300 days in Afghanistan”.

“I learned a lot about her experiences in Afghanistan. Her experience right now in Kenya and how she travels the world being a medic without borders.” Pedro Gonzalez, Grade 9, said. 

 The author did not seek to have a published book in the first place. The origin of the story came after Aguirre’s mother called for her permission to gather her emails into a book due to the popularity they had among friends and family, permission that was immediately granted. Aguirre wants to continue to share these stories although discretionary closures in her contracts do not allow her to share details about her missions. 

“We chose graduates that had literary experience, Natalia has only written one book but it is a book that received a national award for journalism which is a lot of merit that’s why we wanted to invite her” Lina Isaza, TCS Librarian, said.