I chose to major in Spanish because I want to be an elementary school teacher, but to get into the master’s program for elementary education, you have to major in something else first. I was already minoring in Spanish and I’ve always enjoyed my Spanish classes, so I decided to turn it into my major. I was originally an accounting major, but quickly realized that I didn’t enjoy it and I couldn’t see myself doing it as a career. This past summer I worked at a summer camp to prevent summer learning loss and loved it. This led to my decision that I wanted to work with kids and become a teacher. Currently, I am not sure what I expect to do with my Spanish degree. I will be studying abroad in Spain next semester and possibly traveling in the future or working in Spain, so a Spanish degree will be useful. When I first switched my major to Spanish, my intention was simply to just take the classes needed to complete the degree. I wasn’t sure if I was going to use the degree for a job or just to get into the graduate program. After taking this class and others, I am starting to see how much there is to learn from Spanish classes and opportunities outside the classroom and after graduation. I could teach at a bilingual school in a Spanish-speaking country, teach ESL, or teach Spanish at an elementary school. I think that it’s useful to have a Spanish degree because it allows you to be able to communicate and build relationships with more people.

After graduation, I plan on going to graduate school to get my master’s in elementary education. I am not sure if I want to be a regular elementary school teacher or teach Spanish in an elementary school. I may even end up teaching at a bilingual school in a Spanish-speaking country for some time. I have always loved working with kids. I have volunteered at dance camps at my old studio and this past summer I worked with third graders at a summer camp to prevent summer learning loss. There is always a need for more teachers, so I think that it is a good career choice. There are many options as to where I could take my career. I could stay and teach in Massachusetts or I could travel abroad and teach in a bilingual program somewhere. I could also help kids in the U.S. who don’t speak English as their first language. I think that it is important for kids to receive a decent education and I want to provide that and be a role model. I have experience working with kids through summer camps. Some of the directors I worked with this past summer at the camp work in schools. I could network with them to find opportunities to volunteer or work with kids. I also volunteered at a day care center, so I could potentially do that if I don’t enjoy teaching. My mom works in a school, so I can take advice from her and network through her. Between now and graduation I am going to take some of the MTELs and continue working with kids in various settings like camps or day cares. I might also become a substitute teacher at the schools in my town to get experience in the classroom setting as the teacher. After graduation I would like to get my masters in elementary education.

As the second part of IE, I will be studying broad in Barcelona at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to study abroad because I have never been able to travel outside the country, so this would be my opportunity to do so. I have always enjoyed my Spanish classes and had a desire to go to Spain. Now that Spanish is my major it seems like the right choice. I would have liked to go to one of the programs sponsored by UMass in San Sebastián or Oviedo, but I have a wedding in May, so I needed a program that ended before then. I used the UMass IPO search engine to find programs that I was best suited for. I wanted a program that offered home stay as a housing option and classes that would count for credit here at UMass. The program in Barcelona at UPF through API seemed like the best fit for me considering all of these things. I am happy with the program in Barcelona, but worried that because it is such a tourist destination, I won’t be as immersed in the language or culture. I will do my best to make sure this isn’t the case. From this experience I hope to improve my language skills and become more confident when speaking. I want to learn more about the culture and experience it firsthand. I am going to try to learn about the education system and possibly explore volunteering in classrooms to see if I would like to teach there in the future. I will use the experience that I gain and apply it to Spanish classes here by participating more and sharing those experiences. I plan to live with a host family, so I will be forced to speak Spanish and improve my skills. I also hope that they will teach me about the culture and show me around the city.