Author Archives: kgwebb

Wait, Latin America Isn’t All the Same?

Latin America is more diverse than many people think. During my travels throughout Central America, South American and the Caribbean, I’ve come to realize how greatly this is so. Latin America is not simply a part of the world marked by the Spanish language, a warm culture and the love of fútbol. It is much more, much grander… It much more unique than that.

Having had the opportunity to travel throughout the various locations mentioned above, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of what it means to be Latin American in these parts of the world and how Latin American cultural identity can differ. Although not an expert on Latin American history and culture, the experiences I’ve had while traveling throughout Spanish speaking countries have been quite impactful and insightful and have lead me to various conclusions regarding the uniqueness of the Latin American regions/countries.

Below I’ve highlighted some of the ways in which Central America, South America and the Caribbean are different and what I found to be particularly special about my time in each location. Continue reading

Study Abroad as a Student Athlete

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During the Fall semester of my Junior year, I did something that may student athletes at UMass do not do. I studied abroad. Why was this such a rare occurrence, particularly for a student athlete? For one, student athletes who receive an athletic scholarship are not permitted to go abroad during their training season and/or competition season or off season. Those who do not receive athletic scholarship can go abroad, but it is discouraged. While on the onset, this may seem very restrictive and limiting, for athletes at the Division 1 level, it does make a lot of sense. Getting in one’s best shape does not happen overnight. It requires a rigorous amount of hard training and consistency, which in my opinion (this having been influenced by personal experience) is most effective and is done at its best with the guidance of a coach, the support of one’s teammates and with the right training facilities available. While I do not regret having studied abroad as a student athlete, I did make a bit of a sacrifice when it came to my athletic performance. Continue reading

The Spanish Major in Relation to Other Courses of Study

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