Category Archives: Language

Two Paths: My experiences and future as a Spanish Major

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 →

Why I Love Spanish 497SX

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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 →

Educating Others, Not Calling Them Out

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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 →

Reflections/experiences: university, travel, UMass

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I began my university experience at McGill University as an International Development Studies major. This major and the general environment of the school were not a good match for me, but before transferring I desperately wanted to travel and study abroad. I decided to do a direct enrollment at the Pontifica Universidad Catolica de Valparaíso (PUCV), in Valparaíso, Chile. This meant that instead of going to Chile with a program I went as an independent student, allowing me to set-up my own living arrangements, class schedule, and extracurricular activities (this also means I didn’t pay a program but rather just paid university tuition, which is usually much cheaper). Continue reading →

How the Spanish Major, for me, translates into an MSW

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As my time at UMass comes to a close, I have begun to ask professors for recommendation letters to send to grad schools. As a Spanish major, the professors that know me best are those who teach within the Spanish Department, and they have asked me how my major ties to my desire to earn my Master of Social Work. My goal to become a LICSW is tied in every way to the pursuit of my Spanish major over the last 6 semesters. When I first started the major, it was because I had a talent for it, and I didn’t really know where it would lead me. I grew to love it, and eventually made the goal to become a medical interpreter. It seemed like a natural choice, given my experience with the healthcare system as a result of my mother’s ALS and that, as anyone that knows me knows, I love people and interacting with those from all different backgrounds and walks of life. However, as a result of taking the first course required for the Interpreting Certificate here at UMass as well as my time studying in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I realized that medical interpreting may be too restricting of my personality. I began to consider what career I could pursue where I would have more professional freedom to exercise my compassion and investment in the well-being of others, Continue reading →

excuses, excuses

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Being a travel junkie, I spend a significant amount of time thinking and reading about traveling. I by no means think travel is everything, and I would encourage thoughtful and intentional travel whether you’re going on vacation or study abroad. I do think that traveling, whether to a new neighborhood, state, or country, is an incredible way to learn more about the world and yourself.

I found this article the other day on one of my favorite travel websites listing “10 excuses that shouldn’t keep you from studying abroad.” It’s a quick read that says neither money, time, or fomo (among other things) should stand in your way of studying abroad. Study abroad experiences can be anything from terribly unenjoyable to world-rockingly awesome, and sometimes can be a combination of both. It can be scary to embark on an adventure but my feeling is that you never know what you’re capable of until you try. Even if it’s difficult or scary to imagine leaving home, why deny yourself the opportunity to grow and learn in new ways? I always remind myself that sometimes my greatest learning has come from my most challenging experiences. And you never know how much fun you can have until you go!

Summer in Spain!

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When deciding what to do for my integrative experience, I knew I wanted to study abroad. I had no doubt about it. However, I didn’t believe it was possible for me based on how my courses are arranged. My only option was a summer program and Salamanca was the one for me. I had thought about it for a while, and it was the perfect fit. I could take courses that I actually needed at an affordable cost. I’m so glad I was wrong.

My big issue is that I also study music. It may not seem like it, but it takes up SO much time. I barely have any free weekends ever. I have to practice all the time. I mean, it’s a huge amount of work, but with it comes great satisfaction. But aside from the time my Voice Minor takes, the classes are offered in sequence. Every semester the courses are different and they must be taken in order. That being said, I could never take a semester off. There’s just no way. I’d be a full year behind instead of just one semester. And if I may say, college is not cheap at all. Continue reading →

The Journey as a Spanish Major

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During the midst of my last year of high school, like most students I was eager to get out. Graduating from high school seemed like such a big milestone at the time. I would finally be able to make the decision as to where I wanted to live, and where I wanted to study. I was one of those students who applied to ten or eleven different universities. I had my heart set on a few, but still applied to others just to see if I’d get in. Ironically enough, at this point in time UMASS was my ‘safety school.’ My top pick was the University of Vermont. I loved the very liberal atmosphere, and the education program was so well developed. After receiving my acceptance letter and going to an accepted students’ day, I determined that it would not be financially possible to attend there. Continue reading →

3 Pieces of Advice for Spanish Majors

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As I finish up the remaining weeks of my senior semester at UMass, I have taken time to reflect on my Spanish major. To reflect on what it has meant for me to be a second language learner and the interconnection between the world, communication and language learning. I have learned many things over the past 8 semesters and I want to share the three main points for students thinking about becoming a Spanish major, or who want to know what to expect the next few years of their lives. So I leave you with three important pieces to remember… Continue reading →

ELL And Beyond

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All through high school I worked as a peer tutor, first for students that were from the area and needed assistance in basic high school courses like history and math. These courses were not the main focus of my interests but I understood them well enough, as well as the basic way I myself understood them and how others could use my techniques to learn, and I felt that I could apply that in a manner that would benefit the peers I worked and studied with. As my interest in Spanish began to develop (French and Spanish were the only classes offered at my school and we were only allowed to take one or the other; any other languages I took were through a newly implemented online program, and I sampled a little of Chinese and Italian) a favorite Spanish teacher of mine that had noticed my aptitude for languages kept approaching me and asking me to tutor kids that were having a hard time in her Spanish classes. It was about eighth grade when I started working with a seventh grader who needed help specifically with his Spanish. Continue reading →