Each month the English Page meets a member of TU Delft’s foreign community. Verónica Rubio, 27, from Quito, Ecuador, is a first-year MSc student studying Petroleum Reservoir Geology.
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Why did you choose TU Delft? In the petroleum industry, TU Delft is a famous institution. Reading about the industry, I noticed that many of its leading professionals were TU Delft graduates, and since I hope to someday work for a large multinational company, it was a natural choice to study here.
Having previously worked in private industry, was it a difficult decision to return to university? No, although it%s certainly less exciting than my internship with Schlumberger Oilfield Services, when I worked in the jungle oilfields on the Ecuador-Colombia border, which is a very dangerous place, because Colombia%s FARC guerrillas use the nearest town, Lago Agrio, as a base for their families. Because of the danger of being kidnapped, we couldn%t leave the company compound, and when we did have to travel, we dressed plainly and tried to blend in with the natives.
The petroleum industry is a male-dominated one, have you faced much sexism in the workplace?
Yes, especially when I worked as a field engineer, in charge of a team of male workers. They often made sexist jokes and didn’t like taking orders from a woman. But my desire to make it in this profession drives me forward and over all obstacles, whether it%s dangerous working conditions or male chauvinism.
How do you deal with sexist remarks?
Well, if they’re heavy ones, I immediately say I find the remark offensive. This direct approach usually works. I should add that I never faced sexist attitudes from the professional men I worked with, my fellow engineers, who were really supportive and pleasantly surprised to have a female colleague.
Why did you choose to become a geologist?
Growing up in Quito, there’s a lot of seismic activity, lots of volcanoes and earthquakes, and this fascinated me. As a child, I was always outside digging in the ground, searching for dinosaurs and oil.
Ecuador’s national currency is now the U.S. dollar. Does that make Ecuador an American colony?
No, not at all! We adopted the U.S. dollar because inflation was out of control, but we remain an independent country and I don’t believe the U.S. influences our national affairs.
What is humankind’s greatest challenge in 21st century?
We must recover a sense of love, peace and sharing among people. Technology made great advances in the past century but spirituality and moral values were left behind. In everything, the spiritual and material, there must be equilibrium, and we must restore that balance.
Have you noticed any major social differences between Ecuador and Holland?
Family seems to be more important in my country. In Ecuador, your family, including your extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins…is very important. We share a lot with our families, and families make decisions together, because especially for poorer people life can often depend on it. I’m glad I come from a place where family is so important.
Do you miss home?
Yes, I love my country. We have an expression, ‘La Sangre Llama‘, ‘the blood calls you back’, and I always feel so happy when I go home. You know, you never sleep better than you do in your own bed.
What book has profoundly influenced your way of thinking?
‘Our Mental Forces’, by Prentice Mulford, which sets out values for experiencing life. Mulford says there%s a little bit of God in everything and that we have the power to develop everything that God created. Life is about development and everybody has a mission in life, and we should pursue that which we like, whatever it is, because when you have that desire to do something, that%s your mission in life.
What person living or dead do you particularly admire?
Paul McCartney. What I especially love about his songs is the way he expresses emotions and feelings through music. He%s also a lover of the environment and animals and dedicates his music and money to these good causes.
What causes you the most anxiety?
Being so far away from my family is always on my mind. I’m constantly wondering how their lives are going. My greatest fear is that a family member will die while I’m so far away from home.
How would you like to die?
Like Prentice Mulford, the author of the book I mentioned. He died in bed with a smile on his face, because he had achieved everything he wanted to in life. He completed his mission. I want to die with that smile of contentment on my face.
Each month the English Page meets a member of TU Delft’s foreign community. Verónica Rubio, 27, from Quito, Ecuador, is a first-year MSc student studying Petroleum Reservoir Geology.
Why did you choose TU Delft? In the petroleum industry, TU Delft is a famous institution. Reading about the industry, I noticed that many of its leading professionals were TU Delft graduates, and since I hope to someday work for a large multinational company, it was a natural choice to study here.
Having previously worked in private industry, was it a difficult decision to return to university? No, although it%s certainly less exciting than my internship with Schlumberger Oilfield Services, when I worked in the jungle oilfields on the Ecuador-Colombia border, which is a very dangerous place, because Colombia%s FARC guerrillas use the nearest town, Lago Agrio, as a base for their families. Because of the danger of being kidnapped, we couldn%t leave the company compound, and when we did have to travel, we dressed plainly and tried to blend in with the natives.
The petroleum industry is a male-dominated one, have you faced much sexism in the workplace?
Yes, especially when I worked as a field engineer, in charge of a team of male workers. They often made sexist jokes and didn’t like taking orders from a woman. But my desire to make it in this profession drives me forward and over all obstacles, whether it%s dangerous working conditions or male chauvinism.
How do you deal with sexist remarks?
Well, if they’re heavy ones, I immediately say I find the remark offensive. This direct approach usually works. I should add that I never faced sexist attitudes from the professional men I worked with, my fellow engineers, who were really supportive and pleasantly surprised to have a female colleague.
Why did you choose to become a geologist?
Growing up in Quito, there’s a lot of seismic activity, lots of volcanoes and earthquakes, and this fascinated me. As a child, I was always outside digging in the ground, searching for dinosaurs and oil.
Ecuador’s national currency is now the U.S. dollar. Does that make Ecuador an American colony?
No, not at all! We adopted the U.S. dollar because inflation was out of control, but we remain an independent country and I don’t believe the U.S. influences our national affairs.
What is humankind’s greatest challenge in 21st century?
We must recover a sense of love, peace and sharing among people. Technology made great advances in the past century but spirituality and moral values were left behind. In everything, the spiritual and material, there must be equilibrium, and we must restore that balance.
Have you noticed any major social differences between Ecuador and Holland?
Family seems to be more important in my country. In Ecuador, your family, including your extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins…is very important. We share a lot with our families, and families make decisions together, because especially for poorer people life can often depend on it. I’m glad I come from a place where family is so important.
Do you miss home?
Yes, I love my country. We have an expression, ‘La Sangre Llama‘, ‘the blood calls you back’, and I always feel so happy when I go home. You know, you never sleep better than you do in your own bed.
What book has profoundly influenced your way of thinking?
‘Our Mental Forces’, by Prentice Mulford, which sets out values for experiencing life. Mulford says there%s a little bit of God in everything and that we have the power to develop everything that God created. Life is about development and everybody has a mission in life, and we should pursue that which we like, whatever it is, because when you have that desire to do something, that%s your mission in life.
What person living or dead do you particularly admire?
Paul McCartney. What I especially love about his songs is the way he expresses emotions and feelings through music. He%s also a lover of the environment and animals and dedicates his music and money to these good causes.
What causes you the most anxiety?
Being so far away from my family is always on my mind. I’m constantly wondering how their lives are going. My greatest fear is that a family member will die while I’m so far away from home.
How would you like to die?
Like Prentice Mulford, the author of the book I mentioned. He died in bed with a smile on his face, because he had achieved everything he wanted to in life. He completed his mission. I want to die with that smile of contentment on my face.
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