Aya, 20, is a Palestinian refugee living in Saida, Lebanon. She is a senior at the American University of Beirut, majoring in environmental health with a minor in public health. (Aya plans to pursue a master's degree in the latter.) She believes her greatest blessing is her Palestinian blood! The most important experience in her life so far was her exchange year in the United States, where she had the chance to share her origin and culture with a lot of people. After that experience, Aya became more aware of the need to spread the Palestinian cause across the world. Writing is one way to express and spread the cause. "I hope to step in my land someday," she says wistfully.