Along with being a Spanish major, I plan to pick up a minor in Sociology, receive a letter in social work and obtain certificates in both Interpreting Studies and Latin American Studies. I have quite a bit of work ahead of me, but all of these courses of study seem to intertwine/connect quite nicely. They are especially all related to the area of work I plan on being involved in in the future. Continue reading
As my college career comes to a close, it is interesting to reflect upon the past four and a half years. My journey through my undergraduate studies has not been typical, nor has it been easy. At times, I didn’t think I would make it through to receive my diploma. Some days were such a struggle that I simply wanted to quit. As I continue to persevere through a heavy loaded, six-course semester while balancing work and other duties, I try to maintain positive thoughts that the end is near. The end, that is, of one chapter, with the beginning of another. Continue reading
What I’m about to say shocks many people, but I honestly feel like my experience in service-learning while at UMass has been much more profound than my experience abroad. I know, it’s crazy because going abroad is supposed to be this life-altering experience, and everyone is supposed to come back from Spain with a deep yearning to return and sparkles in their eyes. However, that isn’t really the case for me. I have found my niche through volunteering in both an after-school program and a classroom in Holyoke. I have made connections with students and teachers that will certainly last a lifetime and will never be forgotten. Continue reading
When I was touring colleges during the sweltering summer between my junior and senior years, I heard the phrase “breadth and depth” perhaps a hundred times, repeated by eager tour guides tasked with selling their liberal arts college to me and my parents. “Breadth and depth,” meant a broad range of classes, and yet that somehow at the same time they would be very profound, or deep, or something of that nature. That seemed nonsensical to me–isn’t it necessary that the broader your education, the more shallow, or less specific it must be? I have come to realize that while that may well be the case, there is a way to actively seize on a broader education that is still unified under the idea of a single major, or concentration. In my case, almost every aspect of my education has been tied to the idea of “Spanish,” Continue reading
I originally majored in Spanish because while I was good at a number of subjects, languages were what interested me most in high school. English, Latin, and Spanish were my favorite classes. I spent hours reading whatever I could get my hands on, at times even begging teachers to give me extra books from the closet where they kept the textbooks. My brother thinks in numbers and circuits, but I live in a world of words. I chose the Spanish major solely because of my passion for words and languages.
Now that I’m a junior and expecting to embark on a study abroad trip in the near future, I’m trying to decide what to do after I graduate. In addition to the gen-ed requirements and the Spanish major requirements, I’m studying Italian for the fun of it, and I’ve recently decided to pursue a minor in Education. If time permits, I also want to start learning German in my senior year. Also, I’d like to look into courses about translation. And this summer I intend to go study abroad in Salamanca, Spain. The program will allow me to finally visit the country I’ve been fascinated by for years while enriching my understanding of its language and culture. I think my courses this semester in particular (specifically Spanish Phonetics and Luis Marentes’ study abroad prep course) have prepared me well for the trip. Continue reading
For me, one of the most influential Spanish classes that I have taken is probably Spanish 497SX: Spanish Syntax. I am currently in the class with Carole Cloutier. One of the reasons I love this class so much is because Carole is so passionate about what she’s teaching. I’ve taken two other classes with her and she inspires so much interest in the subject matter. She makes everything very clear and always listens to us, as students. Because of this, I decided to take 497SX with her this semester. Continue reading
This class has facilitated a large amount of thinking and personal growth through the assigned readings and our discussions of what it means to us to be Spanish majors. For me, being a Spanish major is a way to open a door to a whole other world of culture, customs, people, food, and even more. On the most basic level, this is why most people study other languages, and it i considered a huge asset on paper if you are a native English speaker and are lucky enough to be a heterosexual white individual.
When unpacking ideas of white privilege it is inevitable that some people will not admit that they have privilege or that they are prejudice, when in reality everyone has been raised with some prejudice thoughts such as that African Americans are good at basketball, or that all women who identify as feminists hate males, and may not actively engage in these prejudices but still have them from time to time. Continue reading
Why this major? When I first heard this question I thought the answer was obvious, I like Spanish and I always felt really drawn to it. When I started the university as a biochemistry major I knew it wasn’t for me, and when I took my first Spanish class and finally officially declared myself a Spanish major I knew it was what I wanted to be doing. I thought that was enough. As a biochem student I knew that I wanted to be a forensic toxicologist, I just realized that I hated everything leading up to it, so I figured I wouldn’t like my career. I loved Spanish and had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do. I figured that eventually I would just fall into a career, I would find something I’m wicked passionate about and then I would be set. Continue reading