So I’ve taken Spanish for a long time. 7 freaking years. But it’s occurred to me that I only recently even started trying to learn Spanish. Don’t get me wrong, I got the grades to make it here, and I had the basics down as I went. But I didn’t actually try for an inconceivably long time. Learning a language because you want to and because you have to take one for school are two very different situations, and I was a weird mix of both for a long time. That’s why study abroad is such a daunting idea for me. This idea of integrating into a culture and a language that I am not necessarily a stranger to, but is still somewhat foreign to me, is terrifying. I became a Spanish major because I was good at it. Like most people. But I could have changed my mind at any time in the past couple years on that decision. I’m tremendously happy I didn’t, of course, Continue reading →