ana carvallo
52% maker, 45% breaker, 3% secret sauce
I am a 25 year-old maker, scholar, and dog mom with a passion for helping others. I was born in Mexico City, raised in Atlanta, GA, and currently live in Evanston, IL. I love working with my hands and creating in every way that I can. I have a secret passion for puzzles - my favorite is the Ken-Ken - and for the past 6 years, I have done at least one puzzle every day. I like to switch it up and will alternate between word, number, and picture puzzles. I majored in applied mathematics because I genuinely love numbers and the ways in which they behave. I could go on for hours about determinants and how there is no reason why such a random series of transformations and algebraic manipulations should tell us anything meaningful about a group of numbers and yet, determinants manage to connect the dots between numbers, equations, and the world around us. My favorite mathematician is Seki Takakazu ( 関 孝 和 ), who is credited with their discovery. This man is a legend who solved a puzzle before it even existed and for that, he has my eternal respect.
My Beast and me
I rescued Milbea (aliases: Mil-Beast, Squanchie, Pontooficus) in May of 2018. She is my muse, my heated blanket, and my partner in life. From the extreme to the mundane, Milbea is always by my side.
The world is the best oyster
I have been extremely fortunate in that I have had the opportunity to travel to countries around the world and immerse myself in their cultures. Some of my most cherished memories are from my trip to Taiwan, where I got to coach basketball for the local kids (I know what you're thinking and the answer is yes, they were all better than me). I would go so far as to say that Hsinchu is my favorite place that I have ever been to, though Switzerland takes the cake in terms of beauty. I hope to continue expanding my life as a global citizen through making lasting, meaningful connections in as many places as possible, with as many people as possible. I am on a mission to learn as many languages as I can, even if it's just on the level of verbal communication.
The Great Outdoors lives up to its name
My favorite place to be is anywhere outside. I love any water-based activity (including frozen water) and am always down to climb a mountain. There is rarely a day that goes by where I am not astounded by the beauty of nature and vow to do everything in my power to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to be left speechless by something as simple as a leaf or as intricate as the night sky.
Ahh, the wind in my...everything
Apart from Milbea, this is my baby. I got her in 2018, but have been dreaming of her my entire life. I ride whenever possible, and while I wouldn't necessarily say a have a need for speed, nothing beats the feeling of the wind in my, well, everything.
