About Me — Laras (with a non-silent S)

Triggered a search party effort, was bullied by a famous person, and became an atheist at the age of 22

When I was in kindergarten, I was brave. So brave that I decided to walk out of the school grounds on my own after I couldn’t find my mother at the end of the day. There was a 4-hour search party effort. My father, so desperate to find me, donated to every mosque he could find so they’d pray for my return.

When I was in elementary school, I was bullied. Physically and emotionally by a girl who would later become my country’s number one singer and child actress. One morning, I had a huge meltdown at school, called my mother to pick me up, and never returned to that school.

When I was in middle school, my home life was turned upside down because of infidelity in the family. I was angry, sad, and confused.

When I was in high school, I moved to California for a year in an exchange program. I made friends with people from all over the world. One night after a party, we took a taxi together. The driver, realizing that we were a very diverse group asked, “Where are you guys from?” “Oh, Indonesia, Venezuela, France, Japan.” Surprised, he said, “Wow the whole world is in my taxi!” I could never forget that exact moment.