When Claudia Caralps Faro began her journey to study in the United States, she encountered many obstacles, doubts, and a lack of direction. But in the midst of it all, she also found a reason to turn that experience into something positive. That’s where the inspiration was born to create a platform that could serve as a light on the path for others. The result? Beyond Aruba – a website shaped by real experience, designed to guide and inspire many other Aruban students in their own educational journey.
Claudia Caralps Faro
Claudia Caralps Faro
My name is Claudia Caralps Faro, and I am currently studying Business with a focus on Finance at Valencia College in Florida. Even though I’m studying abroad, Aruba is always close to my heart – it’s home – and everything I do is with the hope of making a positive impact there, no matter how small.
Claudia Caralps Faro
Claudia Caralps Faro
A little about me: I love to travel and discover new places, I enjoy reading books – especially the ones my sister recommends – and I’m always curious to learn something new, especially if it helps me grow personally or professionally. But one of the biggest things I’ve discovered since moving to the U.S. is how much I enjoy helping others, particularly other Aruban students who are considering studying abroad.
Claudia Caralps Faro
Claudia Caralps Faro
Beyond Aruba wasn’t something I had planned for years. In fact, it came directly from my own experience of trying to figure out how to study in the U.S. When I started the process, I felt completely lost. There was no clear guide or any local resource that truly broke things down step by step – especially not for Aruban students. Every bit of information I found was either too general or scattered across different websites.
I had to piece everything together through a lot of trial and error – hours of research, asking for help, and learning from every small mistake along the way. It felt overwhelming at times, but it also made me realize something important: if I was struggling this much, probably many other Aruban students before me felt the same way too.
That’s when the idea for Beyond Aruba started to take shape. I wanted to create a space where students like me could find reliable information all in one place – from choosing the right school, to understanding the visa process, finding housing, adjusting to a new culture, and everything in between. But more than just a website, I wanted it to feel like a support system – a place where students could feel comfortable asking questions and get advice from someone who had been in their shoes.
When I first shared the idea with my family, they were incredibly supportive as always. My brother, who is much more tech-savvy than I am, told me I had two options: hire someone to build the website for me, or try to do it myself. I asked him, “Do you really think I can do it myself?” and without hesitation, he said yes. That was the push I needed. If he believed I could do it, I knew I had to believe it too.
From there, I had a notebook where I wrote down every step of my process, I had gathered all the information. Within a week, alongside my schoolwork, I worked on it step by step, learning as I went and building the website piece by piece. Looking back, I’m proud that I took on that challenge – it made me realize I’m capable of much more than I thought.
My goal is for Beyond Aruba to become a go-to source for future generations of Aruban students. I want it to be the place students turn to when they start planning their journey to the U.S. – not just a useful website, but the first place schools in Aruba recommend when students say they want to study abroad. I want to work with local schools so they can guide students directly to Beyond Aruba as their starting point, making sure no one has to go through this process alone.
After I graduate with my Associate’s Degree in December 2025, my plan is to transfer to a four-year university to complete my Bachelor’s in Finance. In the long term, I hope to gain work experience in the U.S. before eventually returning to Aruba to contribute to my family’s construction and development business.
In the meantime, I want to continue growing Beyond Aruba, because helping other students succeed – especially fellow Aruban students – is something I’ve truly become passionate about. Whether they follow the same path I did or choose something completely different, I want Beyond Aruba to be a reminder that no matter how far you go, there’s always a community back home ready to support you.
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