Monthly Archives: December 2018

My Experience with The Boltwood Project

The Boltwood Project is a student run, all-inclusive, service learning project here at UMass that aims build inclusive environments and peer to peer relationships. Volunteers go out into the community to different service sites and spend time with individuals with disabilities. Theses sites range from elementary schools to skilled nursing homes. You also receive 2 university credits for your volunteer work, reflections and attendance of 3 weekend seminars per semester. During the seminars we learn about different topics surrounding disability. There is also the opportunity to apply for a leadership position as a site supervisor in which case you would also enroll in the leadership in service learning course. Continue reading →

The Spanish and Health Certificate – Because I wish I had known sooner

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As a I prepare to graduate with a dual degree in Communication Disorders and Spanish I could not be more pleased with how well these two distinct majors have complemented each other. My Spanish major has provided me with a route to diversify my studies prior to entering graduate school. For example, in my Communication Disorders studies, we discuss what it means to be culturally competent as a clinician. In my Spanish studies, I am able to further explore this topic of cultural competency within the Spanish speaking world. Moreover, studying abroad for my Spanish major has helped me to further understand and be more aware of the different characteristics in cultures that may not be immediately evident, but are important for a clinician to be aware of. Continue reading →

My experience as a Spanish major and future plans

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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. Continue reading →

Post Study Abroad: My experience living in Granada, Spain

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It is my opinion that every single university student (at the very least) should have the opportunity to study abroad. While learning about a different culture, learning about a new language, a different way of life, is all very admirable in and of itself, what it can teach you about yourself is equally important. An interesting thing to note is that although you will find people representing all the different personalities everywhere, each culture is generally only conducive to a specific few. It is not that one way is superior and another lesser, instead what we should realize is that different people thrive in different environments. Continue reading →

Studying Abroad in this Hemisphere

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As a Spanish Major, I find that the majority of my classmates choose to study abroad in Spain. Spain has a lot to offer in regard to history, culture, food, night life, etc. but I always wonder why more students don’t choose to study abroad in Latin America. There are so many historically and culturally rich cities and countries here in this hemisphere. Also, if you are studying Spanish for your career so that you can communicate with Spanish-speaking people in the United States, the overwhelming majority of them are going to be from countries in Latin America. It will be helpful to know more about the countries and cultures that they come from, and to know how to speak the kind of Spanish they speak. Continue reading →

Going Abroad After UMass

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As a transfer student, I didn’t feel like I had enough time to spend an entire semester studying abroad during my time at UMass. I would have had to start figuring out all the logistics during my first semester on campus and then leave for my second semester. I potentially could have studied abroad during my senior year, but I also had to think about completing my Honors College thesis. While I don’t regret my decision to stay at UMass instead of spending a semester abroad, I am determined to find another way to go abroad after graduating. Continue reading →

My Experience Studying Abroad in Madrid

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Having the opportunity to study abroad in Madrid was truly one of the greatest experiences that I will forever cherish. Now that I am back at UMass, finishing my degree in Spanish, I have had so much time to reflect on my experience studying abroad. As I have written in my previous blog post, studying abroad was something that I always envisioned myself taking part in, even prior to coming to UMass and choosing to pursue a degree in Spanish.

It really is hard to believe that my experience studying abroad is simply a memory now. I really mean it when I say that it went by in the blink of an eye. I know that may sound cliché because that is what everyone says. But really, it does. Continue reading →