By Kiersten Cowgill
CCC Journalism Program
BLACKWOOD — Gina Liceth Navarro Baene, 47, moved from Barranquilla, Colombia, to Runnemede a little over three years ago. She is now a student again, even though she already has two Ph.D.s.
School Experience
Baene studied psychology and earned her Ph.D.s in social sciences in Colombia and educational sciences in Paris. She later worked as a college professor for 10 years at the University Libre of Barranquilla in Colombia. There, she taught health research to medical and physical therapy students and helped with other programs. While in Paris, she was also asked to teach classes.
“I returned back to college!” Baene said. “I keep in contact with my previous university because I worked for them for 10 years … I like the quality of education in Colombia.”
Baene said she doesn’t feel a big change between teaching and being a student because she still helps her old university. She creates documents, does online work and helps students from Colombia. Her goal is to become a professor in the United States and help others with their mental health.
“I really, really hope that I can start to work here soon and improve my levels of English,” she said.
Baene enjoys being a student again but admits it’s hard sometimes.
“The experience as a student is amazing, I love all the situations of college, the classes … It is a little difficult because I need a translator and sometimes I don’t understand the teacher … the homework is difficult, the tests, oh my God, two computers, one for work, one for translator, it’s crazy but … I feel good.”
One of her classmates, Mahai Laywhyee, said, “Gina is nice, she has good manners and always says hi.”
Businesses
Baene has been married to her husband, Fabul Abuchaibe, for 10 years. He owns an export company that was registered this year. Together, they also run a water purification business in Colombia. It’s called Planeta Azul Direct Ltda. They sell water dispensers and clean water, hoping to reduce the use of plastic bottles.
Family
Baene has two children from a previous relationship. Her son, Julian Navarro, 25, is a doctor in Hamburg, Germany. He studied medicine and works in anesthesiology. Her daughter, Gabriela Navarro, 20, is a psychology student at Rutgers University in Camden.
The family also has two dogs, Carson and Maggie, and a cat, Maya.
Baene said she has always had to multitask. She was already a mom and wife when she started her career.
“Seeing my kids be successful makes it all worth it … I taught my kids to dream big,” she said.
When she studied for her doctorate in Paris, she traveled with her children. Every other semester, they moved between Paris and Colombia. She believes her children learned the value of hard work by watching her.
Moving to the United States
Moving to the United States wasn’t easy. Baene had to leave behind her hometown and family. She came to New Jersey with her daughter and husband.
When asked what changed after coming to the United States, she answered, “Everything.”
She said she couldn’t have done it without her husband’s support. In Colombia, she worked every day. Now, she can study, manage her business online and relax a little more. Still, leaving family was hard. She FaceTimes her mother and sister almost every day and misses them a lot. She visited them last year.
Hobbies
In her free time, Baene enjoys sewing, gardening and reading. With her family, she likes going to the beach. Lately, she has been watching a TV series based on books by Harlan Coben. She finds the stories exciting and full of suspense.