Major: Psychology; Spanish
Hometown: New London, PA

How did you learn about this opportunity?

I learned about this opportunity through the Spanish Majors/Minors night and also heard about it through my Spanish advisor.

Tell us a little bit about your experience.

Through this program, I lived with a host family in Ronda, Spain and had the amazing opportunity to visit other cities in Spain including Seville, Granada, Salamanca, Madrid, Segovia, and Toledo. Actually living in Spain rather than just touring the country made the experience much more valuable, as I expanded my worldview. I lived the Spanish life – eating the traditional foods and speaking with locals in the city. I got to work with professors originally from Spain and was constantly surrounded by the Spanish language – which immensely improved my Spanish abilities. It was also an incredible experience in terms of personal growth, as I learned to be more confident and made many friends.

How did this experience impact you academically?

Studying abroad greatly improved my abilities within the Spanish language. Being immersed in the language improved my listening skills and also provided me with the opportunity to practice speaking Spanish multiple times each day. I learned colloquial words and phrases and improved my pronunciation. By the end of the program, I found it easier to understand my host family and other Spanish speakers, as well as speak the language more fluently. I’m also much more versed in Spanish culture. Through living in the country and learning its history, I now have a much better understanding of its customs, values, and beliefs.

Through living in the country and learning its history, I now have a much better understanding of its customs, values, and beliefs.

What are your career goals and plans?  How did this experience impact them?

After completing my education, I plan to work in human services or education. I wanted to study abroad so that I could learn to speak Spanish more fluently, as I will likely be working with the growing Hispanic population here in the United States throughout my career. Over the summer, I returned to my assistant teaching job and was able to communicate effectively in Spanish with the parents of the students that knew very little English. I was able to explain their students’ progress and any concerns of which they needed to be aware. I now feel much more confident moving forward in my career knowing that I can communicate in Spanish.

Would you recommend this experience to other Liberal Arts students?

I would highly recommend this program to other students. It was the experience of a lifetime, and helped me grow personally and academically.