João Dias, 26

Lisbon - Portugal

Like many of you who are reading this I sketch since I was really young. My imagination was most of the times about spaceships, planes, bikes, unknown planets, dinosaurs, etc. But there was always a special thing in my head and that thing, as you already might know, are Cars. I love cars, and I've been always fascinated by those beautiful machines.

I had a school path which is not usual and despite being a good drawer I never went to an art school. Why? Because being an artist or designer in my country isn't easy. Salaries are low and you'll have big difficulties to find a good job. If nowadays is difficult imagine 10/15 years ago.

When I finished high school I decided to go to Electrotechnical Engineering. It would grant me a good future, good salaries and lots of companies where I could work. Why I didn't finish it? Well because money isn't everything and I was sick of math and physics. I was missing my pencil and paper and I started thinking to abandon the course. It would be a hard thing to do specially because I would disappoint people but I was willing to do it. It was about my future and my happiness and about that only I could decide. I wanted to be a car designer but I had two major obstacles: In Portugal there is no such course and I hadn't money to go to another country. So I decided to apply for a Product Design course, it would teach me the bases of Design and then I would apply for a Masters in Car Design in another country. Only one thing was left: money. I then started to work so I could pay my studies and so I became a worker and student. It's a hard life I should tell you. Work at day and studying at night it's not for everyone but if you focus on your objective and if you really want it then it won't be so hard, you just need to be strong.

Almost 3 years after I applied for Product Design I'm now finishing it and happy to say that I have the conditions to apply for a Masters in Car Design. One more step is done and another episode of my life will begin.