Name: Daphne de Souza Lima Sorensen

Age: 24

Where she's from: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Roots: 100% South American (Uruguay & Brazil), but with a great-grandfather who emigrated from Denmark (which explains the last name)

Where did you grow up?

Everywhere! I was in Brazil until the age of 10, then I moved to Venezuela for 2 years, then England for 3, then the US for 6 years and finally Africa (Uganda and Mozambique) for the last 3 years.

Do you ever get to see your family?

I try to go back to Brazil at least once a year, because that's where most of my family is - in fact, I spent this last Christmas and New Year's (the Millennium!) in Rio with my grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins and some good friends alongside 5 million people on the beach!

What is your favorite food?

Anything my mother cooks! I also love Mexican and Chinese, and these little puff-pastry doughy things from Brazil called empadinhas de queijo. Oh, and I could eat Ugandan sweet potatoes everyday, as long as they were served with peas.

What do you like to do with your friends?

Go swimming or scuba diving. Or just sit around on a (preferably) deserted beach, watching the sunset (or sunrise, depending on the mood). Inevitably, everything we end up doing involves eating & music - we usually spend hours in some restaurant, or cooking ourselves, while my friend Jim plays the guitar. It's magic!

What is your advice to young people today?

Keep a journal. Observe, write and be aware. Your thoughts, dreams and fears will stand as a reminder of who you are, and most importantly, will help guide you to where you want to be. Also, read everything! Books open your mind, spur the imagination and allow you to dream.

What are some really fun things you've done?

The first time I traveled alone, I flew to northern Brazil, then spent 2 months making my way back down south along the coast. I hitchhiked, walked, and made use of any public transport I could find. I met some great people and had a blast! Then, during the Brazilian carnaval of 1996, I paraded in a couple of samba schools - spent 2 nights dressed in some outrageous costumes, singing samba songs and dancing all night. Oh, and during my senior year of high school, my friend Sarah and I found out that Ben & Jerry's were giving away free ice cream in some of their shops, so we stuck a HUGE banner on the back of her car that said, "Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's - Honk If You Want Some." By the time we got to B&J, we had about a dozen cars following us!

What's the stupidest thing you've ever done?

Well, this is stupid but funny - I went on safari in Swaziland with a friend and during one of the evening game drives (where we sit in an open Land Rover looking for animals), the guide told us to get out and follow him because he'd spotted a black rhinoceros. Now, black rhinos are known for being extremely aggressive and territorial, and here we were walking around in the dark, looking for one! When we finally found the animal, it mock-charged us and I ran straight into a thorn bush and cut my legs. Dumb…. But not nearly as stupid as the time I got into a car with a drunk driver. He was speeding, running stop signs and was completely out of it. Although I made it home safely, I realized I had been extremely lucky - never again!

Who or what has had an especially strong influence in the direction of your life?

During my senior year in university, when I was wracked with doubt and confusion about what to do after graduation, I sought advice from my professor and mentor, Steve Arnold. He had taught me International Development the year before and he said to me, "Go to the field and do development work. Nurture your idealism. Give yourself time to work out what it is you want to do." I followed his suggestion, went to Uganda and never looked back.

What has been your greatest accomplishment?

Organizing the Kampala AIDSWALK '98. Everyone who participated did so because they believed in the cause. We had very little money and support in the beginning, but as the Ugandan press started to cover the event, more and more people jumped onboard. In the end, we raised more than $25,000, over 4,000 people marched through the streets of Kampala, the First Lady of Uganda gave the keynote address and we even got interviewed by CNN!

If you could have one wish, what would it be?

To speak every language in the world. When I lived in Uganda, I took classes in Luganda, which is the language spoken in and around the capital, Kampala. Even though I could only say the basic things, it made a huge difference - people were extremely appreciative of the fact that I was trying to communicate in their language. But even Luganda didn't take me very far because it is only 1 of more than 35 local languages in Uganda! I would love to go back to some of the villages where I've worked, both in Uganda and Mozambique, and start talking in Runyoro, Makonde, and Macua. The people would flip!