Writer and poet Andrea Halaby spoke to 12 Grade students about the power of literature during the Knowledge Fair on May 6 to celebrate the 75th school anniversary.

Halaby, Class of ‘92, offered an emotional talk full of metaphors in which she shared intimate experiences that led her to become an author. The discussion went from how she joined the literary world to her current works. Students had the opportunity to ask questions regarding the author’s life.

“I really liked the conference because she was very active. We were able to ask her questions and she solved our doubts. She really tried to make the talk not as a presentation but more like a conversation,” Miguel Villegas, Grade 12, said.

She described poetry as a language of love, faith, hope, and memories where you can heal and transform. She writes poems to give certain joy and release to others and that somehow it turns into feelings or emotions. Halaby read various of her poems, some of them dedicated to her children, both TCS students.

“Besides being a writer, I have a formation in meditation. I want people to be healed through the word. I believe in the power of healing with words,” Halaby said.

She highlighted the relevance of cultivating the habit of reading. She invited the seniors to read any topic they like as long as they read something and enjoy it. Halaby as well recommended reading stories that inspire and show how human beings can transform and learn from difficulties. She also suggested reading a book appropriate for this stage of the senior’s life.

“For me, reading is a joy. But the most important thing is to read things that you like. Also, above all, you all should believe that by reading you are nourishing a part of the brain that is very important,” Halaby said.

The author detailed her writing process, different from poetry and novel. At the beginning of her writing career she had an organized process. Currently, she writes freely, inspired by objects, situations, and emotions. She confesses that she doesn’t like to write poetry and novels during the same week since each genre activates a different brain zone. 

“Most of the time I don’t use a strategy. For me, the key to being a writer is to live with your eyes wide open. I see a special object and I know I want to write about it. I sit and the poem progress little by little and reaches the end. Usually, I write a poem in one sitting,” Andrea Halaby

Halaby combines poetry and novels with writing for companies, businesses, or projects. Her last work was a book about monsters created to heal fears in children, which was to raise funds for Fundacion Carla Cristina.

“With the Carla Cristina Foundation, it was a very beneficial process because they were children with many fears and with little help. We wanted to make a product that would serve many people but that we would help these children of the foundation to reconcile and remove their fears,” Halaby said.

The poet revealed the dark side of writing is the lack of recognition since it is introspective work. Halaby stated it is a demanding job and the results take more time to be seen. Despite this, she feels proud and satisfied being a poet and a writer, which has been her passion for many years. 

“She described how her job was, full of sincerity. This was really helpful for the ones that would like to join the literature world. Besides this, she inspired us and narrated her life in a way we were able to learn that with effort and passion everything would be accomplished,” Luciano Jaramillo, Grade 12, said.