Madison Perkin

My name is Madison Perkin (17) and I'm originally from Seattle, Washington but currently living in Dubai, UAE. Wait, it's not that simple! I never lived in Seattle as I was born in Florida, then moved to Hawaii, Ohio, and now Dubai for the past 9 years. My parents are from the PNW, hence the reason for me calling the PNW my home. I have enjoyed my time being a student at Dubai American Academy and ready to complete my final year as a senior in the growing and impressive Dubai. I'm ready for another adventure and to live back in the states and enjoy the everyday smell and sight of greenery and nature.

Growing up hasn't been a walk through the park as being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at such an early age took time to adjust. Diabetes is a part of who I am. Living with diabetes has not been easy and I have struggled with managing and getting my HBA1C at a healthy level. Through this experience I have learned a lot about myself.

I am extremely passionate about travel, sports, and nursing. Relatively in the middle of the world, Dubai has enabled me to visit lots of unique and culturally different places. To name a few, I have visited Nepal where it opened my eyes to poverty and how much we take for granted. My first ski trip besides learning how to ski at Ski Dubai was a family trip to Italy, where skiing and eating pizza everyday was the norm. My uncle lives in Vietnam where I had the chance to visit him and experience a whole other culture and amazing food! Other countries I have visited include Malaysia, Thailand, India, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, and England. I have a goal to visit all countries before I die.I am also passionate about sports. I have been on the DAA Swim Team, Soccer Team, and Softball Team. Every moment I dive into the water, kick the ball, or hit the ball, I give 100%. In relation to my passion for nursing, I went to Klamath Falls, OR and shadowed different nurses in various sections of the hospital including a live surgery, cath lab, ICU, PCU, and ER. This past summer I went to Oregon and shadowed nurses in the Labor and Delivery section. Such an amazing experience!!