Upon her arrival, she immediately fell in love with the community. “It's a beautiful place, and the people are warm and friendly.” But beyond the welcoming atmosphere, Salcedo has also been impressed with the educational resources available to students. “The resources that I can access through the IU libraries are overwhelming. Even rare books on early Philippine history that I can hardly find in Manila are available here.”
Salcedo's participation in a seminar on gender and sexuality, further allowed her to develop “close relationships with legal luminaries in the faculty and to share in their knowledge and wisdom.” She credits the law school with providing her access to individuals from many different cultures and providing her with a “greater understanding of the status of women in other countries.”
According to Salcedo, her time at Maurer School of Law has provided her with insight that she would not have access to in the Philippines. “In the Philippines, women are still expected to be submissive, to stay home and prioritize the family. Even if a woman has an outstanding career, she is not considered to be successful unless she can prove to be a good mother as well. I think we still have a long way to go” said Salcedo.
She says that her trip to the US has encouraged her to take on a new challenge that will benefit her professionally and, in turn, allow her to reach more people at home. “The Philippines has a lot of problems- poverty, corruption, political unrest-but when I see the sparkle in my student's eyes, I know there's hope for our country.”