Advice for Spanish majors from two grizzled SpanPort veterans

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As two Spanish majors nearing the completion of our degrees, we have a couple things to say about the major that might be helpful for younger undergrads to hear. We’ll break up our advice into a couple categories but overall try and keep things brief.

Course recommendations
Gen-eds
As a language major, it is really edifying to learn about Linguistics more generally, and we found Linguistics 201 (intro linguistics) and Ling 205 (language and advertising) to be fascinating and applicable to other areas of study. Ling 101 we would recommend against taking; it covers the same ground as 201 but is less rigorous and not as engaging. (More work, less reward.) Psych 101 teaches you a couple things about how language is processed in the brain, and also the internal processes of memory and consolidation; similarly, Neuro 330 discusses language and the different areas of the brain. We recommend taking history classes that connect to the history of the conquest of the Americas and how the Spanish language actually came to be spoken on this continent, as well as classes that focus on the historical relationship between the U.S. and Latin America.

Major requirements
We recommend Spanish 470 (Hispanic linguistics overview) because it teaches you about certain underlying rules of Spanish that you have certainly dealt with but maybe never consciously considered – and also want to say that Spanish 311 (advanced grammar) can be a pain but is really worth paying attention in. That class is very technical and can feel boring but I genuinely use stuff I learned in that class alll the time and I consider the things it taught me an important step in my passage from an intermediate learner to a fluent speaker. Spanish 350 (Spanish translation) with professor Galasso is also challenging but ultimately rewarding, and teaches you a lot through the translation process. Spanish 382, “Spanish in the US,” we don’t recommend; we felt like the things you learn in this course are things that you are likely to pick up from your other courses anyway, assuming you’re a Spanish major.

Programs and certificates
We wholeheartedly recommend studying abroad (we know, it is required) and urge undergrads to consider going somewhere off the beaten path — you’re allowed to study at any university, not just the ones with pre-designed programs, so keep that in mind if there’s a destination or an institution you really have your heart set on. There’s advantages and disadvantages to building your own program and to studying with a program/institution like IFSA, API, etc. but go somewhere you’re passionate about.

Neither of us have much experience with certificates; one of us got a certification in Latin American studies as part of a study abroad program. UMass offers ways to earn certs such as TESOL certification so if that’s something you think you may be interested in, take a class as early as you can to get it out of the way. Your future self will thank you for taking the initiative and it’s one more thing to put on your résumé.

Five College resources
Five College courses can be a way to satisfy major requirements if, for example, there aren’t any interesting classes with open slots at UMass. The bus will take you to any of the colleges (Amherst probably being the most easily accessible).

Additionally, if you are someone who is super into the academic or literary side of the major and wants a course that will challenge you — and peers who are as engaged as you are — Five College classes could be the move for you. A friend of mine who goes to MHC strongly recommends the courses offered by Amherst’s Spanish department, and I am taking one next semester that I have really high hopes for. Consider our sister colleges if you’re a Spanish major looking for a challenge.

Campus activities
The Sobremesa is a great way to practice with peers and TAs as a Spanish novice. There are also lots of Spanish/Latin movies being shown and as a major you probably get emails about them all the time. Those are worth going to, as are the open house events hosted by the Spanish department. Free pizza and you get to learn about the various opportunities and events for people like you!

Latinos Unidos (LU) and the Latin American Cultural Center (LACC) host events too — they had a Dominó night a couple weeks ago that was a blast.

The trick with these is showing up! There are always lots of events being posted online and around campus, but it can be hard to motivate yourself to attend. Get on mailing lists and follow these orgs on social media. Latinos Unidos, Contagio Latino, Students of Caribbean Ancestry, LACC, Salsa con tacos, the UMass Spanish and Portuguese departments, all of these are local orgs (most of them UMA affiliated but not all) that are absolutely worth following on Instagram, which is a great way to keep yourself in the loop. Mostly though, you’ll just have to make yourself go to events and screenings and open houses, but it’s worth it, it really is.

Other recommendations
Finally we have some other tips and tricks, most of all, to practice your Spanish even more than you already are. Stop speaking English in class and get comfortable with trying to express yourself only in Spanish without switching back. Read and write in Spanish as much as you can. And practice teaching: see if there’s any opportunities for teaching or tutoring, or someone who needs a partner to practice with. All these things will help you hone your own skills.

At the end of the day, you have to forge your own path, and it’s a lot harder to learn from other people’s mistakes than it is to learn from your own. Luckily, the Spanish department is set up in order to help you succeed, so utilize their services and remember they’re all paid professionals whose job is to assist you. There is no right way to be a Spanish or Portuguese major, so enjoy all of it.

Un abrazo
–Oscar Burke and Joe Mamet

How my studies of Latin America helped me really get the point of education

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As a double major in both History and Portuguese, my experience with both subjects have greatly influenced the way in which I think about the other, and I have found that oftentimes the two are directly related. Since I arrived at UMass, I’ve become particularly interested in the history of Latin America and its relationship with imperialism, modern capitalist economics and the ways in which my country, the United States, has influenced and been influenced by the Portuguese and Spanish speaking world. Last semester, I took a course on the history surrounding American foreign policy and intervention in Latin America affairs, in which I learned about the means by which the United States has worked to secure Latin America as a region which is subservient to its economic and political interests. In this course, I learned a lot about the unequal economic and social relationships which the United States has foisted upon Latin America by means of military conquest and political coups. When considering this unequal and exploitative relationship between Latin America and the United States, I often wondered how such a condition of power imbalance was created in the first place, and how it was that the United States, despite also being a society which can trace its roots to European imperialism, held such a dominant position over other Latin countries, who seemingly lacked many of the advantages which allowed the United States to flourish as a global superpower. Was America uniquely rich in resources? Were its people uniquely hardy and well suited to diligent labor? These are myths that often go repeated without question, given the collective understanding of such ideas as the Protestant work ethic or how, as Otto von Bismarck famously put it, America is bordered to the north and south by weak neighbors and to the east and west by fish. These simplistic explanations never sat right with me as explanations for why this country, and not, for instance, Mexico or Brazil, has grown into a global power which is capable of exerting its influence upon the wider world.

During this semester, this question has been at least in part answered as I have gone on to study Brazilian history. What was made clear to me in my studies of the development of Brazilian society is that, while the territories which would go on to form the United States were settled with the goal of crafting a new society which better served the interests of European settlers, Brazil and other Latin American nations were not crafted from such idealism. Rather, Latin America was colonized with a different goal in mind, that being the extraction of wealth from these regions into Portugal and Spain through exploitative measures taken against the peoples and natural environments of the region. While the Thirteen Colonies were crafted as a safe haven for those English settlers who sought to live in a society which was marginally less hierarchical and which was relatively out of reach of the British crown’s authority, Brazil and other Latin American nations were settled relatively sparsely by Europeans who sought not but material gain from their efforts. In a sense, Latin American colonies were viewed almost entirely as an economic investment by the European colonizers, rather than as new societies which should be invested in and built up to self-sufficiency. As a result of this difference in ethos, the societies created in Latin America developed in ways which saw a higher degree of corruption relative to the United States, which, having been viewed as an extension of English society in a new and less bureaucratic form, maintained a standard of legalism in the tradition of the parent society. At the time of their independence in the early 1800’s, Brazil and other Latin American nations had indigenous and black populations which made up a majority of the people and who served as an enslaved underclass to a European minority. Compared to the United States, where the exploited black and indigenous underclass made up only about a quarter of the population, the difference in the relationship between these two regions and their respective European colonial oppressors becomes clear. In the United States, society was crafted to serve the interests of a majority who considered themselves to be in line with a European cultural and legal tradition, and therefore the legal systems of the time served to protect the rights of Europeans. In Latin America, no such guarantee existed, as that same guiding ethos of importing European legal customs and maintaining power for Europeans worked against the majority of the population and created legal systems based on inequality which in many cases still continue to this day.

Having made this connection in both an economic history course and a Portuguese course has made it much more clear as to why Latin America suffers from unique social issues which seem absent or at least less apparent than in the United States. Having taken this knowledge into account, it is now much easier for me to understand the conditions under which the nations of the hispanophone and lusophone world have developed, and therefore it is easier for me to understand the nuances of cultures which have had to develop under such different conditions to my own. I think that furthering my understanding of the ways in which the current global economic order works for and against different places and creates systems of global inequality has informed the way in which I will continue to engage with the work in my field, and has led me to what I would consider to be advice that I would have liked to hear earlier, namely that anything you want to pursue can be an engine of positive social change, even if the impact is small. I believe that having historians and linguists and photographers and writers and mathematicians and physicists and biologists and all kinds of people attacking the woes of society in their own small way is necessary to the creation of a better society in the future. Your pursuit, even if it is niche, cannot be useless if it is targeted towards addressing that which you dislike about the way people on earth treat each other. Simply put, we were not given the tremendous gift of education and the intelligence to wield it in order to be passive observers led only by material self interest towards that which is the most personally profitable for us. As responsible members of the human race, we should strive to leave a society behind us which is better, freer, and with more opportunity for all to succeed than the society which we were born into, as people have strived to do in large part for time immemorial. In my case, the battle for good may be waged in terms of understanding harmful systems as they relate to the historical development of our society and potentially using that knowledge to endorse solutions, as well as helping others learn about the Portuguese language and lusophonic culture. For others, it may appear as teaching someone math or literature, addressing legal inequalities in public policy, or improving the community through art. In my own way, I am striving to make a positive difference in my community and in our shared global community, as are millions of other people in a variety of fields. So long as you are using your skills to make this positive change in the world, to break down barriers between different groups of people and to work towards creating a world which is more united, then you cannot go wrong in whatever course you choose.

Exciting people to make the jump!

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Joseph Mamet

I came to Umass undecided on a major. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be but I was very excited to know that I had so many options to choose from. I went through many different classes and potential majors not really finding one that interested me. It took me a year full of taking random classes and terrible grades until I took Spanish 120. Spanish 120 was awesome. It was basically a recap of a small portion of what I had in high school and because of that I succeeded and it made me feel good. I decided after that to add Spanish as my second major. From there Umass and my education started to grow. If I had met the students and professor in the first part of my IE, I would never have gone abroad. Many of the students were getting ready to go to another continent or had already. There must have been something crazy in the air in that room because after two weeks of that class I was signed up to go abroad to Argentina. A concept that I hadn’t even thought about before became my future plans for the incoming semester. I learned through that class and through those people that it was so easy. I didn’t know if I could do it for all sorts of reasons, but with the support of my fellow classmates and professor they had me sign up in under three weeks.

I am not only very happy to have gone and because of all the wonderful experiences and friends I made, but also because of this new opportunity that I have to share my story with people who want to go and to help inspire people to go on their own journeys. Of course there are many limitations including time, money and specific required classes, but there are so many helpful resources on the campus that help us prepare for once and a lifetime moments in our life. I want to be the classmate that I had in my class that inspired me to go abroad, to experience things, things I would have never done in my entire life. You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take. I try to mention the importance of going abroad to every new person that I meet. What it can do for you, what you can do for it. There’s millions of things I could mention, but going and seeing for yourself is the best way to do it. You can do anything your major requires anywhere in the world and sometimes for a similar price in the mountains around Amherst Mass.

Spanish in Medicine: Bridging Intercultural Divides

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Growing up, I was never completely sure about what I wanted to do in life. While all of my friends throughout elementary school talked about being teachers, firefighters, and soccer players in the next twenty years, I never had a clear idea of what my “dream” was. My family immigrated to the United States from our rural Vietnamese town when I was barely two years old, and after coming here, I saw my mother and father working day and night in an attempt to put food on the table and keep a roof over our heads. In the moments when my parents would be home at the same time, I would memorize the way my dad’s hands were calloused and dirtied by machine grease and the way my mom’s fingers were dry and reeking of acetone, and I would see their strength and resilience.

It was that same strength and resilience that I saw in the Latina women that would frequent our local Vietnamese-owned grocery stores and were none the wiser about the whispers that would pass between the aunties at the cash register. I would see those women picking up fresh fruits and vegetables to place in their shopping carts, next to a fidgety, whiny child strapped to the front seat, and all I could imagine was the visage of my mother shopping with my siblings and me. As a child, I never understood why the people in my community were so hostile and unwelcoming to our Hispanic neighbors; was it true that they were inherently more dangerous than us? Was it true that they didn’t value education in the same way as we did? What about them made them so fundamentally different from us?

I carried these questions with me through a series of experiences in my life wherein I was part of the group that was responsible for the “othering,” and I can’t say that I was particularly proud of that fact. How was I supposed to be fearful or wary of others when they shared so many resemblances with my own culture and family? As I got older and reached middle and high school, I began the work of deconstructing those internalized biases and prejudices against the Latino and Hispanic members of my community, and it wasn’t until I entered college that I realized exactly what I could do to 1) chase a dream that was evading me for the better part of a decade and 2) learn from the communities that my own had ostracized for so long.

Having learned Spanish throughout middle and high school, I knew that I wanted to continue learning the language in college solely based on a utilitarian point of view, where knowing another language could prove beneficial for my future job prospects. Since I started college with an undecided major, I didn’t think about how learning Spanish could impact my own perspective and understanding of myself and the world around me until I began considering pursuing a career in dental medicine, which combined my interests in science and humanities into something that I could consider a newfound “dream” that I had been seeking for so many years.

My perspective on Spanish began to shift when I took Spanish 323: Spanish American Literature in the fall semester of my sophomore year. In that class, I learned about the historical contexts of modern Latin American literature and how cultural interactions between various countries led to revolutionary movements in literature and the arts in the Americas. This realization led me to analyze my own awareness of the historic movements of people around the world and the formation of cultural diasporas in the United States, which have further developed into large-scale cities that are now home to hundreds of thousands of immigrants from different countries, cultures, and religions. Because of this new perspective, I learned that division and cultural isolation does no good to any of our communities, and intercultural exchanges, where we find the similarities between ourselves, would benefit us more than seeing one another as the “other” and as the “enemy.”

To me, the drive to become a medical professional is not born out of a need for financial security; rather, my passion for caring for my fellow community members and my hope to build stronger relationships between groups that originally would have never thought to interact with one another pushed me to pursue a career where I could work with, learn from, and provide care for people from all walks of life every single day. Becoming a Spanish major was not an impulsive decision that I made to stand out from the crowd in my science courses; I wanted to be able to graduate knowing that the degree I achieved would be representative of the person that I currently am, the passions that I have, and the community leader that I want to become.

The Importance of Language Majors

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When I first came to UMass, I declared myself a Spanish major without hesitation. It felt like a natural next step, and it felt like me. But during sophomore year, I started doubting myself because of the reactions I was getting from my non-Spanish-major peers. I switched my major to Public Health and turned Spanish into a minor. I tried to convince myself that my new major sounded more “acceptable” to everyone else, meanwhile I was absolutely miserable in all of my new required classes. At a school where it feels like half of the campus is in STEM, telling people you’re a humanities major (and specifically a Spanish major) comes with an instant response:
“What are you going to do with that?”
For years, that question really got to me. Everyone else seemed so sure of their four-year plan, and I spent too long defending my major like it was a flaw. I stayed in Public Health longer than I should have because it felt like having that major made me appear more “serious about school” and employable. But the deeper I got into the major, the more I realized I hated it. I didn’t enjoy the content, I couldn’t see myself in the field, and honestly it felt completely performative.
A year later, I dropped Public Health entirely and went back to being “just” a Spanish major. But what I realized soon after this change is that I don’t owe anyone an answer about what I want to do with my life. I don’t need to map out my next ten years just to justify studying something I genuinely love and care about. And no, I do not want to be a teacher or a translator (the two options people assume are the only ones). Maybe Spanish will be at the center of my future, or maybe it’ll be a smaller piece of a bigger picture. Either way, it’s amazing to already know pre-graduation what you want to do, it’s amazing to not know at all what your future holds, and it’s also amazing to change your mind at any point. None of these options automatically mean that you’ll have things easier or harder or better or worse.
So if you’re a future Spanish major reading this, here’s what I would have wished to hear before my first day at UMass:
Your major does not define the limits of your future.
People will ask questions with weird tones. Some might make assumptions. Others might make you feel like you need to “balance” Spanish with something more “useful.” But their opinions are not your problem. Choosing Spanish means choosing something that expands how you see the world, the way you connect with people, and your understanding of culture, communication, and identity. These are invaluable skills that matter everywhere, and to me personally, they matter much more than knowing how to code or solve a formula. Everyone has their own priorities; just because some things don’t matter to you, doesn’t mean they don’t matter to others, and vice versa.
If you know Spanish is the path that makes sense for you, trust that and lean into it. Don’t let other people’s discomfort with something a little bit different push you into something you don’t want. It’s incredible that you’re majoring in something because you love it. It’s more than healthy to not have your whole life planned out. And you should be super proud of choosing a major that makes you grow not just academically, but personally.

Advice to Future Spanish and Portuguese Majors

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Study Abroad

Studying abroad is one of the most enriching opportunities offered at UMass Amherst. It gives one the chance to travel and change their perspective on the world around them. Before going into the life changing experiences that happen as a result of studying abroad, it is important to acknowledge the technicalities that must be completed before and after. The best place to start when even considering studying abroad is the International Programs Office (Office of Global Affairs). At this office, student workers who have been abroad themselves are readily available to answer questions and even help you to search for programs. Starting this process can be extremely overwhelming as there are many companies and locations to choose from. My saving grace at this stage of the process was filtering programs based on location and classes. I knew I wanted to study abroad in Spain, and I knew there were certain Spanish classes I had to take to satisfy my requirements. With these filters in place, the options narrowed down and became easier to choose from. From there it was choosing the program that spoke to me the most. At the end of the day you are choosing a city that you will live in for four months, so it’s important to take other factors into consideration. One should make sure to do their appropriate research on what is included in the chosen program. Some programs offer scholarships to decrease the price of the experience. Others have included trips to locations that are paid for as a part of the program. After choosing a program, the next steps are to apply and do all of the necessary paperwork, which can cause some halts in the process. Examples of such are the ICAF and visa. The ICAF is a form that approves classes for certain credits, so it is an integral part of the process. Applying for a visa is a lengthy process that takes patience, so it is important to start early and be on top of it. Depending on the circumstance, you may even need to take a trip to the nearest consulate. A final note on technical items is the class credits and grading process. All grades received abroad do not factor into your GPA; however, they do take a place at the top of your transcript. All credits appear on the transcript a period of time after your return. There are certain special circumstances to be aware of that vary based on the situation. One that I had to navigate was getting credit for a general education course I took abroad. Since gen-eds at UMass are worth 4 credits, and the class I took abroad was worth 3 credits, I had to switch to transfer requirements to be able to count this course. After making this change, I had to ensure I then met the transfer requirements. Little things like these can throw you for a loop, but they are all solvable and completely worth it for the experience of studying abroad.

With all the nitty and gritty logistical details over with, the actual time spent abroad is eye-opening and completely worth mentioning. Stepping off that plane is one of the most nerve racking experiences I have ever had, but it is one I often go back to. At that moment, I had no idea what the next four months would hold, whether I would make friends or even enjoy my time there. Safe to say, my fears were for nothing. Listed are the certain principles I tried to live by while abroad that helped me navigate my experience:

Simply living in a new country is enough. I often felt pressured to be constantly on the move and traveling somewhere every weekend, but when I realized living in a foreign country was the experience, I felt this pressure lift.
Take advantage of the opportunities that the program and school provides. My university had initiatives that paired abroad students with students that attend university there full time. This was a great opportunity to make a new friend and further integrate oneself.
Walk. Walking becomes one of the best modes of transport when living abroad. The amount of things you can see by walking around is amazing. Walking is one of the fastest ways I found myself integrating into the city.
Try new things, even if they scare you. My experience abroad was enriching, I tried things I never once thought I would. However, I still sometimes look back on my experience and wished I would have stepped out of my comfort zone just a little bit more.
Give yourself grace. Being abroad, away from one’s home and comfort is extremely difficult. Everyone says going abroad is the best thing they have ever done, and to an extent I agree with that. However, it is important to know that there will be ups and downs. If you are struggling and worrying that this experience isn’t shaping out to be as amazing as everyone says, give yourself grace. It is okay to struggle in this experience.

Class Recommendations

As students, we all know taking classes is an essential part of the college experience. However, it can be overwhelming for incoming Spanish Majors to decide which classes to take. In this portion of the blog, I will be giving you some class recommendations as well explaining the significance of taking Spanish classes at UMass. Before getting into the classes, I want to first address the academic requirements of the Spanish Major. The Spanish Major requires three 400-level classes, five 320 and above classes, and Junior Year Writing. At first, these requirements can seem overwhelming, but believe me, if you divide at least two classes per semester, you should be having a smooth transition to the Spanish Major.

Let’s get down to some of the Spanish courses offered here at UMass. First, I want to address conversational Spanish classes. Conversational Spanish classes are essential for communication and Spanish-speaking skills. Taking these classes will allow you to practice your Spanish-speaking skills with your professors and classmates. Although these classes can feel scary in the beginning, it truly does improve your Spanish proficiency. Remember, as a college student we are here to learn. It is okay to make mistakes. A common misconception college students have is that they have to be perfect in everything they do, but that is impossible. Also, do not be afraid to ask questions to your professors. Your professors are there to help you, and truly want you to succeed. Secondly, I would like to address some of the literature and culture classes. UMass offers a wide variety of these classes, allowing students to choose what field of cultural/ literature studies they would like to learn about. Some classes I would personally recommend are Spanish 324 (Introduction to Latino/a Culture), 322 (Introduction to Spanish-American Literature), 351 (Hispanic New York), 415 (Culture and Civilization in Spain), and 382 (Spanish in the US). We all know learning how to speak the Spanish language is important, but learning about the culture and history of Spanish/ Latino culture is just as important when it comes to the Spanish Major.

I’d like to offer a few helpful tips. My first tip would be to have a good balance of both conversational and culture/literature classes. Having these two together will provide you with a well rounded foundation and education. Taking too much of one topic can be too much, so I would highly recommend taking at least two courses per semester: one conversational and one culture/ literature class.

Lastly, I want to address some ways you can prepare yourself for success after graduation. Taking classes will help you decide whether you want to go into teaching, translation, work internationally, or even work first hand with Spanish-speaking communities. It’s important to put into consideration that it is okay to not know exactly what you want to do, but having an idea of what field you want to work in will allow for an easier and smoother transition after graduation.

Outside of Class Activities

There are plenty of opportunities to continue your Spanish-language learning outside of the classroom. One advantage of the Spanish major is that it is a relatively small department, which allows for community building and making lasting connections. My first recommendation is not to be shy with your peers in your class, especially in the first year. Students who chose to study Spanish come from many different backgrounds and have a wide range of interests, but we all share a common bond. A great way to start a conversation is to ask how they became interested in Spanish, or whether they study any other languages or academic areas. There is a lot of value to be taken from learning about others’ interests and goals. Speaking from experience, these connections that you build in class will open up opportunities outside of the classroom as well. I have made a good friend with whom I have had a class every semester since freshman year, and it’s been interesting to hear his perspective on his Spanish education and his other unique academic interests.

I also encourage all Spanish students to take advantage of the events facilitated by the department. The Sobremesa events (check the UMass SpanPort Instagram) are a wonderful way to practice Spanish outside of class and get to know other students who aren’t in your classes but are in the major. The Rivas tutoring center is a resource on campus to receive individual help with your class content, and serves as another opportunity to practice. All of the TAs are very friendly and willing to help you learn.

Finally, there are many opportunities to participate in community engagement and volunteering as a Spanish major. For example, you could volunteer with English language learners at the Center for New Americans or in a hands-on way with Nuestras Raices, an agricultural and economic development program working on behalf of New England’s Latino community.

As a Spanish major, your learning opportunities are not limited to the classroom. There are many ways to get involved within the program and the larger community. If you are looking for more engagement opportunities, do not hesitate to ask your professor or reach out to the faculty listed on the SpanPort website.

Importance of being a Spanish major

When I first came to UMass, I declared a Spanish major without hesitation. It felt like a natural next step, and it felt like me. But during sophomore year, I started doubting myself because of the reactions I was getting from my non-Spanish-major peers. I switched my major to Public Health and turned Spanish into a minor. I tried to convince myself that my new major sounded more “acceptable” to everyone else, meanwhile I was absolutely miserable in all of my new required classes. At a school where it feels like half of the campus is in STEM, telling people you’re a humanities major (and specifically a Spanish major) comes with an instant response:

“What are you going to do with that?”

For years, that question really got to me. Everyone else seemed so sure of their four-year plan, and I spent too long defending my major like it was a flaw. I stayed in Public Health longer than I should have because it felt like having that major made me appear more “serious about school” and employable. But the deeper I got into the major, the more I realized I hated it. I didn’t enjoy the content, I couldn’t see myself in the field, and honestly it felt completely performative.

A year later, I dropped Public Health entirely and went back to being “just” a Spanish major. But what I realized soon after this change is that I don’t owe anyone an answer about what I want to do with my life. I don’t need to map out my next ten years just to justify studying something I genuinely love and care about. And no, I do not want to be a teacher or a translator (the two options people assume are the only ones). Maybe Spanish will be at the center of my future, or maybe it’ll be a smaller piece of a bigger picture. Either way, it’s amazing to already know pre-graduation what you want to do, it’s amazing to not know at all what your future holds, and it’s also amazing to change your mind at any point. None of these options automatically mean that you’ll have things easier or harder or better or worse.

So if you’re a future Spanish major reading this, here’s what I would have wished to hear before my first day at UMass:

Your major does not define the limits of your future.

People will ask questions with weird tones. Some might make assumptions. Others might make you feel like you need to “balance” Spanish with something more “useful.” But their opinions are not your problem. Choosing Spanish means choosing something that expands how you see the world, the way you connect with people, and your understanding of culture, communication, and identity. These are invaluable skills that matter everywhere, and to me personally, they matter much more than knowing how to code or solve a formula. Everyone has their own priorities; just because some things don’t matter to you, doesn’t mean they don’t matter to others, and vice versa.

If you know Spanish is the path that makes sense for you, trust that and lean into it. Don’t let other people’s discomfort with something a little bit different push you into something you don’t want. It’s incredible that you’re majoring in something because you love it. It’s more than healthy to not have your whole life planned out. And you should be super proud of choosing a major that makes you grow not just academically, but personally.

Further Professional and Academic Opportunities

One of the many advantages of being a Spanish major at UMass is the amount of flexibility and versatility that your language education has given you to ensure that you can be successful in any and all of your future endeavors post-graduation. There are many paths that you can follow with the skills that you have gained in Spanish. For example, if you are looking to continue your education in Spanish, the Spanish program at UMass has been home to numerous graduate students, with our current graduate cohort studying everything from intercultural linguistic prosody to film and gender in Iberian cinema (see SpanPort PhD alumni list for past dissertations). If you are interested in teaching, UMass also offers a Master’s in Teaching (MAT) for students looking to obtain a license to teach Spanish to K-12 students (see Graduate Programs page for more information).

Outside of UMass, there are many opportunities for students to continue with their Spanish studies and their engagement with the global Spanish-speaking community. The U.S. Fulbright Program is one option that many students look to for opportunities to further their academic and professional interests through the lens of promoting intercultural connections through graduate studies, research, or teaching English abroad. Moreover, another option that is open to those wanting to engage in Spanish-speaking communities abroad is the Peace Corps, a governmental program that connects volunteers to projects in other countries that aim to tackle issues affecting local communities, such as youth development, health and wellbeing, environment and sustainability, agriculture, and more.

For those that are drawn to entering the workforce immediately upon graduation, your knowledge of Spanish and your ability to navigate within Spanish-speaking communities will be a factor that recruiters look for in the job application process. With Spanish being your second or third language, hiring managers will look at this skill favorably because you will be able to provide services and communicate with potential clients from many cultures and backgrounds, which, in turn, makes the company look good. Spanish is also helpful in the realm of networking, where you will have the opportunity to build connections with people in both English and Spanish—this, in particular, may make you stand out to potential recruiters, who will keep you in mind for future recommendations or hiring opportunities. Overall, as a Spanish major, you will have many opportunities to utilize and perfect the skills that you developed as an undergraduate in fields such as healthcare, international relations, finance, education, corporate business, translation and interpreting, and much more. As a final note, the HFA Career Services Center is open to UMass students looking to prepare for employment upon graduation—they help with resume-writing, job searching, networking, and more.

The Portuguese Learner’s Experience

The Importance of Portuguese- Despite the relative underconsideration that Portuguese receives within public education and as a global language, learning Portuguese presents a great opportunity to engage with many diverse communities on every continent. Portuguese is the romance language with the second highest number of L1 speakers globally, surpassed only by Spanish in native speakers and having nearly three times the number of native speakers as French (though French has more total when considering L2 speakers). As Brazil and other BRICS nations continue to emerge as dominant actors in the regional and global economies, Brazilian cultural influence will continue to spread across the world. Therefore, Portuguese is a language which will only become more important with time if current global trends hold. In Massachusetts in particular, Portuguese is the third most spoken language in the Commonwealth, and many of the state’s residents maintain a proud lusophone heritage, particularly in southern Massachusetts in areas like Fall River and New Bedford, where just less than half of the population can trace their roots to Portuguese or Brazilian ancestry. In my experience visiting and working within these communities, Portuguese has proven a vital skill in ensuring that work gets done according to specifications and in a timely manner, as many of the workers whom I have personally encountered have been a mix of Brazilians, Portuguese, and African people who utilize the many varied forms of the Portuguese language to bridge intercontinental gaps in communication. In my experience, those with knowledge of Portuguese, either as a first or second language, are more often than not glad to talk in Portuguese, as it is a piece of cultural expression which is both global and particular to the region of southern Massachusetts where I have found many of these speakers. The history and heritage of the cities of Fall River, New Bedford, and in large part the entire state of Rhode Island, are intrinsically linked to the Portuguese language due to the high number of Azorean immigrants, who have shaped the culture of the region so much as to have it be unofficially referred to as ‘The Tenth Island’ of the Azorean archipelago. Portuguese is a language which is intrinsically linked to the region which I call home, and it is also a language which is finding increasing global recognition as a major means of communication across cultural divides.

Study Abroad- though the opportunities to study abroad in Portuguese speaking countries at Umass are admittedly more limited than studying in Spanish speaking countries, this does not mean that the benefits of studying abroad are limited. The Study Abroad In Portugal Network (SIPN) offers courses of study in Lisbon at four different universities for the spring, summer and fall semesters in Portuguese as well as STEM, Liberal Arts, Social Sciences, Business, and many other disciplines. The USAC also once offered similar programs in Florianopolis, Brazil, though these are currently not available due to apparent health and safety concerns.

Class Recommendations- As a dual Portuguese and History major, my perspective on the utility of certain classes may vary, but the following describes classes which I found to greatly benefit my understanding of both of the majors which I have been pursuing and furthered my understanding of how the two are connected. Portuguese 316, ‘Brazil’ is a Portuguese language immersion course which covers many topics related to the history, culture and social development of Brazil throughout time and into the modern day, The class has been really enlightening as to explaining many of the social problems which have plagued Brazil and Latin America as a region generally throughout time and has given me an understanding of the region which I was entirely lacking before this past semester. On top of this course, Capitalism and Alternatives in Latin America and The U.S. in Latin America are two courses which helped me understand Portuguese 316 better. Though those courses do not cover Brazil itself in extensive depth, they shed light onto the ways in which Latin American societies were created primarily as business ventures for the Spanish and Portuguese elites rather than being colonized with the mission to establish an alternative and potentially better society than the one which existed in the colonial heartland, as ended up developing in places like the United States. All of these courses in combination have greatly deepened my understanding of the material conditions present in the regions in which Portuguese and Spanish are most commonly spoken and have explained why certain social issues and cultural developments have maintained themselves throughout the region’s history.

Outside activities- Despite the relatively small number of students in this major compared to Spanish and other languages, the Portuguese learning community at UMass is highly dedicated to ensuring opportunities for members of the community to meet one another and socialize in various engaging ways. In my time learning Portuguese at UMass, I have not only studied a language, but helped groups make music, learned how to dance to samba music, and made a few friends along the way. Brazil Beyond Borders (BBB) is a student organization which, in conjunction with the Portuguese department, has facilitated many activities for Portuguese learners as well as those simply wishing to engage with Brazilian culture in some way. In the past they have facilitated community soccer games, dance lessons, music nights and discussion panels with acclaimed Brazilian artists such as Mauro Correa and João Camarero. More events will certainly be happening as time goes on and interest builds, so keep your eyes peeled on Instagram and around the walls of Herter Hall to see posts and posters about upcoming events.

Professional and academic opportunities- The nuts and bolts of the processes and opportunities available between Spanish and Portuguese are largely the same, but the places one might be able to visit and have an impact on through their work are different. The Peace Corps has missions to Angola, Mozambique, Timor-Leste, and Guinea-Bisseau.

By: Maya Evans, Natalia Caballero, Meghan Neville, Risa Cove, Emily Truong, and Aiden Gallagher

Spanish Outside of the Classroom

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When I first started studying Spanish, I thought of it mostly as a tool for travel- something that would help me navigate a foreign country, help me practically like with ordering food, or meeting people abroad. But what I’ve realized over the years is that knowing Spanish connects you to people everywhere, even in places where you might not expect it.

This past summer, I worked at a very white summer camp where there were almost no people of color. My favorite camper, Andrea, was Venezuelan, and we instantly bonded through Spanish. She loved having someone to speak her language with, someone who understood her culture, her place in the world, and her sense of humor. We’d sit together during her art period, making posters for Venezuela and friendship bracelets in the colors of her flag. We talked a lot about what it felt like for her to be in such a homogenous space, and I knew it meant a lot to her for her to feel so seen and understood.

On my birthday, she spent the entire day making me feel like a princess. She wrote me a million letters, made me a sparkly paper “birthday cake,” and showered me with stickers and love. It felt like such a full-circle moment after spending the summer making her feel like a queen, she did the same for me. Her parents later thanked me by taking me out to an authentic Venezuelan restaurant, which really turned into one of my favorite memories of the summer.

I also built friendships with the Spanish-speaking cleaning staff at that same camp, and I spent an hour every day talking with a Puerto Rican woman named Ema. One day, she grabbed my arm and said “Ven conmigo”. I followed her into the back rooms, not knowing what was going on, and suddenly found myself surrounded by the cleaning staff laughing, dancing, and celebrating Ema’s birthday with catered Puerto Rican food like chicharrones and tres leches. She handed me a plate and told me to eat whatever I wanted. It was such a small moment, but it felt deeply meaningful, because I knew I had been welcomed into a part of the camp most people never see.

And then, even after the summer ended, Spanish continued to open unexpected doors. When I moved into my new apartment at Amherst, my car broke down. A neighbor came over to help, and when I asked him in Spanish where he was from, he smiled and said “El Salvador”. That short exchange turned into a dinner with his family and eventually even several job offers.

All of these experiences reminded me that Spanish isn’t just a language you study in class or use while traveling abroad. It’s a bridge that truly connects you to people, communities, and opportunities in the most unexpected corners of your life. Even in places that might not seem diverse at first glance, Spanish is all around you, waiting to be spoken. When you do, it can completely change the way you (and others) experience the world.

How Studying Spanish has Complemented my Political Science Primary Major

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I study Political Science as my primary major and Spanish as my secondary major. Although learning Spanish is a valuable addition to any course of study, it is particularly relevant to a Political Science career. Knowledge of the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures opens so many doors, both throughout the world but also within our own local communities. I have spent a considerable amount of time abroad, yet I have not connected so much with Spanish-speaking groups closer to home. Although traveling abroad is a wonderful opportunity, it is just as important to foster connections in local communities. Therefore, a Spanish education is valuable whether I want to pursue a political career in another country or within my own state. What matters is the connections that the language allows me to create.

A Spanish education is important to domestic politics because about 13% of the US population speaks Spanish, making it the most spoken language after English. I think that community-facing political figures should at least be interested in learning Spanish to engage with and build trust in the community. Furthermore, language access is crucial to promoting civic engagement and providing access to public resources. One great example of this is New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s campaign video, “Zohran para la ciudad de Nueva York.” I think this was a successful campaign strategy because it shows Spanish-speaking communities that they are recognized and that he wants to serve their interest.

Of course, in addition to U.S. politics, a Spanish language education is important in international politics. Spanish is the official language of 20 countries, connecting ideas and economic and political relations across continents. Spanish is also one of the six official UN languages, making it very valuable for diplomacy. This aspect of language learning is exciting because it reminds me that language is, in fact, a way to bridge communications between different countries and communicate on a supranational level. Admittedly, my interest in international relations and diplomatic relationships followed my decision to pursue a dual major in Political Science and Spanish. Oftentimes, people choose to add Spanish as a second major because it will help them work towards a career goal or interest that they have. My experience was the other way around. I added Spanish as a second major simply because I was interested in it and I wanted to develop my skills. As I learned more in both my majors, I discovered my career interests. Taking this into consideration, I would encourage students to study another language as a second major even if they don’t have a clear career interest. It may be, as was in my case, that your innate interests will help guide you to a career goal or interest.

Studying social sciences and Spanish opens up other opportunities aside from being a bilingual politician. For example, I think that bilingual journalists are very important to make credible news sources more accessible to Spanish-speaking populations. You could also use the majors to drive forward a legal profession, especially to serve Spanish-speaking communities through immigration law or labor rights law. Through your Spanish courses at UMass, it is highly likely that you will meet plenty of other double-major students. I would recommend learning about your peers’ majors and their interests to help inspire you and learn about other career opportunities involving Spanish and a second major.

Another interesting aspect of being both a Political Science and Spanish major is that my courses have intersected in unexpected ways. For example, my PoliSci course, Immigration Policy, has provided a lot of context that relates to this course, Spanish Integrative Experience. Latino identity within the US is a prominent theme present in both classes, especially how Latino identity relates to political issues. My prior knowledge of immigration policy helps me apply a political perspective to the experiences we read and hear about as Spanish majors. This intersection also applies to other Social Behavioral Science and Humanities majors, including anthropology and history. These types of fields help you understand Spanish cultural issues from other real-world experiences and events.

Courses in PoliSci that I took abroad have also influenced my thesis topic, which I am writing under the Spanish department. I am writing my thesis on Spain within the European Union, and I have been drawing on knowledge from both majors to adapt a more holistic point of view. It is quite a satisfying feeling when concepts from both your majors intersect because it can help you better understand course content and bring a different perspective to class discussions.

My Spanish literature classes have also helped me become a more thoughtful reader. If you learn to read critically in your second language, you will have much more confidence in your reading and analytical skills in your English-language classes. Writing in Spanish has also made me more conscious of word choice, which I believe has made me a stronger writer overall. You can also use other non-Spanish major courses to help fulfill Spanish-related certification requirements, such as the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies certificate, which combines areas of anthropology, geography, political science, and more.

My Spanish education has opened up numerous opportunities related to my interest in Political Science. My career goals include connecting with international communities, and this is made possible by my knowledge of Spanish. I have the opportunity to pursue a higher education in Spain, opening up a new world of political thought and affairs. I am very interested in Spain-EU relations and EU affairs, and I would not be able to pursue this interest if not for my majors. I encourage anyone interested in Political Science to study Spanish as well.

Meghan Neville

The Impact of the Dual Degree

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I entered UMass Amherst as a freshman, completely undecided as to what my major would be. I had no idea what to choose within the business school and was uncertain about my future. The one thing I did have was Spanish. I came in absolutely knowing that I wanted to minor in Spanish, so I made that my goal by taking a Spanish course my very first semester. While I had no idea what kind of business I wanted to choose, I knew I had Spanish. As the semester continued, I decided to declare my primary major as Accounting. From then on, I was content with my major and my minor, that was, until I went abroad. Studying abroad was one of the most enriching experiences I have ever had, but it came with a sense of finality. After studying abroad, I would be done with all of my minor requirements. There would be no more Spanish classes to take and few opportunities to continue to practice. This is the moment when the idea of double majoring and pursuing two degrees came to me. Converting my minor into a major would allow me to continue honing my Spanish skills, so I did not yet have to give up opportunities to speak the language.

I am currently pursuing a dual degree, with Spanish and Accounting being my two primary majors. To me, the ability to speak Spanish is somewhat of a superpower. One of my favorite accounts on social media revolves around this man surprising others because he knows how to speak their language. The demeanor of these people immediately changes once they see that they will be able to communicate in their home language. That is why I believe the ability to speak Spanish is a superpower, and one I desperately want to be able to use. In my Accounting major, we talk a lot about numbers, which is to be expected. My Spanish skills do not serve to help me understand Accounting principles; rather, they help me connect with the people I will be accounting for. After graduation, I plan on working in tax services, specifically international tax. The power of knowing Spanish in an international field is something I do not underestimate. I may be working for individuals who primarily speak Spanish. Finances and money are complicated, no matter what angle you come at them from. Being able to communicate about these topics in a language one knows best and is most comfortable with is imperative. My knowledge of Spanish would allow me to put people at ease and talk to them in a way that resonates. Additionally, I also plan on working with companies that exist across the globe. Oftentimes, financial statements are issued in different languages with notes that match those languages. In international tax, you often work with teams in other countries, so it is important to be able to communicate with your teams. Overall, Spanish is an incredible language that can create connections across borders. Whether it be in Accounting or daily life, the ability to speak another language and communicate with a whole new group of people is a superpower.

While the power of speaking Spanish can be used to communicate with others, I have found that it has also impacted me. Once upon a time in high school, I witnessed my Spanish professor talking to an older student in fluent Spanish. I marveled at the ability of the student to speak back. I never once thought I would reach that skill level. Across both of my majors, I have learned to work hard and stay determined. I have found that confidence issues echo in both majors, as I often feared I was speaking incorrectly in Spanish or inputting numbers incorrectly in Accounting. Over time, I have gained confidence in myself. Going abroad showed me that I am capable of complete immersion in a different culture and language. I knew that I would be able to reach the goals I had set for myself with the Spanish language from that point forward. I am no longer a high school student wondering if I would ever reach that level of Spanish ability. I carry this revelation and confidence into my Accounting major. Whenever I fear the challenges my future holds, I remember the diligence I have shown towards my Spanish skills, and I know I will get there. As I finish up my Spanish and Accounting majors, I expect to continue to nurture the confidence I have gained. I know many bumps in the road lie ahead, but I know I have already come so far. I appreciate how both majors test and challenge me, but teach me skills that I can use for the rest of my life.

En silencio ha tenido que ser

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My carnet estudiantil for UH.

Experience

What has studying Spanish earned me? A deep knowledge of another language not my own; a familiarity with the Romance languages more generally, which has helped me in learning French and Portuguese; a comfort with the process of language-learning from 0.

What has the process of acquiring a Spanish degree at UMass earned me? Experience in reading texts written in Spanish, and the ability to analyze literature not written in my own language; friends in the form of peers and professors with similar passions; sharpened skills in written and spoken Spanish.

What has a semester at University of Havana earned me? A Cuban accent; a tan; friendships that span international waters; a firsthand experience of the living history of another country; knowledge from my classes on the history of Cuban art and architecture; confidence in everyday and conversational Spanish (ordering, arguing, bartering); a familiarity with a way of life really different from my own.

Even though the first two facilitated the third for me, it feels odd to compare these things. Though a Spanish major (like any diploma) is a task undertaken ostensibly with the purpose of gaining professional skills or making oneself marketable in the working world, my semester in Cuba, for me, was an experience of personal, not professional, enrichment.

Many, many people seem to talk about their semesters abroad as something like a 4-month-long vacation free of personal or academic responsibility. That makes me uncomfortable — should it? Is there an issue with using your semester abroad to visit as many bars and clubs in as many European countries as you can muster, and to take fluffy classes with gaggles of other Americans on topics like wine pairings and Medici castles? …What’s the issue with having fun? I had fun, too. And I would be lying if I said that the majority of the valuable things I learned were told to me by professors in classrooms.

Let me tell you what I got out of my semester abroad. I want to take a minute to talk about phone plans.

Etecsa

Before I went to Cuba I ordered a 64-dollar cellphone on Amazon. Verizon had just upgraded my family’s iPhones to the new 16, which was, I think, the first iPhone without a physical SIM card: only eSIM, which, I learned, is not available in Cuba. The plastic Android I bought was equipped with a dual SIM slot and emblazoned thus: “BLU / designed in Miami.” It seems BLU is some kind of Cuban expat brand designed for people who go back and forth a lot between the two countries. I had to order my SIM ahead of time.

A close-up of the FOCSA in all her glory. Tape “X”s on windows are to protect for hurricanes.

Setting the phone line up in person was an event that required waiting in line — itself a system completely different from how we queue in the USA — in the local ETECSA office, which is located in the FOCSA, a 39-floor omnipurpose behemoth which contains apartments, offices, TV and radio studios, restaurants and hotels.

The office is staffed by ladies in blue shirts, blue skirts, and heels, and activating your SIM requires presenting your passport and forking over an essentially ceremonial fee of 90 pesos (at time of writing, 20 cents, según el Toque) for the card itself.

I forgot to mention that loitering outside that ETECSA office, there was a guy in a Real Madrid shirt who pegged us as foreigners and tried to convince us that he worked for ETECSA and that although the office was closed he could recharge our phone minutes himself.

Recharging your prepaid phone plan involves visiting an ETECSA kiosk and reading your eight-digit Cuban cell number through the barred window to a woman who looks up your account on a computer database and then adds the requested amount, which you provide in cash. I normally did mine in 500-peso installments, which got me something like 5 gigabytes of data (good for a week or two) if I purchased a package deal. My preferred kiosk was located right next to a woman who sold used books and would always stop me to show me new books she’d bought. My most interesting purchase was a paperback transcription of Castro’s famous two-hour speech, “La historia me absolverá,” issued on the twentieth anniversary of its delivery (1200 pesos). My least interesting purchase was a pair of bangle bracelets for a friend back home (250 pesos).

A few months into my semester in Havana, ETECSA announced “nuevas medidas” designed to bring foreign money into the country and, I was told, specifically to help them update their ancient technology. Essentially — and I believe it’s this complicated on purpose — 300 CUP (Cuban pesos), once loaded onto the phone line, could still be redeemed at will for a certain amount of data (let’s say 2 gigs) but only up to 350 CUP could be loaded onto the phone line per month. This is obviously a problem, and did I mention that Wi-Fi is a rarity in Cuba? What I heard was that there’s a years-long waiting list to get a router in your house, although some people “know a guy” who can get it installed faster.

Saira and Juanca waiting outside FoxCell to get a phone fixed (get it? Sounds like FOCSA)

If you want more data, you are basically S-O-L, unless you have an uncle in Miami. The policy is that to get more CUP on your phone line, you can have someone outside of the country pay at a ridiculous rate, something like 25 dollars for 500 pesos, to recharge your Cuban SIM card. No, American credit cards don’t work on the island. The person wiring you the money has to be stateside.

People were enraged! Students, specifically, felt betrayed by the measures, which were going to make it prohibitively expensive to watch movies, download software, turn in schoolwork on Whatsapp, any internet-enabled activity you can imagine: professional, leisurely or academic. Cuba, having rapidly become digitized in the last years, was going from subsidized cell service to what people felt to be a state-run scam. People shared memes about how after the medidas were implemented, evr1 ws gna B typng lk ths 2 fit mor wrds in2 a txt & sav $$ on msgs.

Not only that, but there were protests, too. Students at the University of Havana began a strike where no one was to attend class until ETECSA changed the policy. They were backed first by the student union of the college of Mathematics and Computation, then other student unions, and the strike gained national recognition. Some professors supported the strike and opted not to penalize students who didn’t attend, others were less gracious. I remember arriving on Friday to an almost empty literature class (this was during finals!) having not received the memo but soon realizing what was going on.

I may be underrepresenting how historical this event was. My peers explained to me that in Cuba there have not been student strikes since the pre-Revolution days when activists like Julio Antonio Mella were martyred. The strike made the news and was even acknowledged by President Díaz-Canel. Some departments had resolved to stay out of class until a deal was struck, but most students were back in school on Monday and the excitement was absolutely palpable.

I left the country before the final deal was struck between ETECSA officials and FEU (student union) student representatives. Cuban visa policy is strict; I had to leave on exactly June 16 and wasn’t allowed to travel to other countries during my stay. But there was an electric feeling to have been surrounded by history as it was being written, and to be aware of this fact in a way one seldom is. A history written by other people, but people I knew, people I had class with, who had the grace to show and tell me what was going on despite my ignorance.

There is a slogan associated with the Revolutionary government: en silencio ha tenido que ser. It was once used to explain to me the general policy of secrecy that the Cuban government has about its operations especially when it comes to the outside world. It is impossible, impossible to get an accurate read on anything happening inside Cuba as a curious American observer who just wants to know what’s going on. But the openness and the friendliness shown to me by every Cuban person I spoke with during my semester in Havana took me aback: I felt an immense privilege to be let in on what is (for at times logical and at times illogical reasons) largely a secret to “outsiders” and Americans. That is: What the hell is happening in Cuba? To be shown, in a capacity limited by the short time I was in Cuba, the everyday and the political workings, the good and the bad — and, being an American, to serve as some form of unofficial cultural ambassador myself — was to see the iron curtain pulled back, if only for 112 days.

Meditation on “purpose”

The experiences that I have let you in on are ones of immeasurable value to me.

To have lived these things: Is that the point of studying abroad?

– I think maybe.

Is that the point of majoring in Spanish?

– Probably not.

Does this rationalize the way I cringe when I have to talk about going abroad, knowing full well that when people hear that phrase, they imagine 4 months spent cavorting in Europe?

– I hope so.

Is there anything wrong with cavorting in Europe or am I simply biased in favor of my own experience due to its mystical and blinding amazingness?

– Perhaps both.

Is the “point” of any activity, perhaps, whatever the individual manages to take away from it?

– Almost certainly.

Is “the point” something worth reasoning out?

– …

Would I have gotten to do any of this without a Spanish major?

– No.

So thank you, Spanish major, and thank you Spanish, and thank you bilingualism, and thank you human connection, and curiosity, and patience. And a toast to all of these.