Category Archives: Nicaragua

Nicaragua and Becoming a Spanish Major

I have always had a good relationship with Spanish ever since I took my first Spanish class in 7th grade. I remember having to choose whether I wanted to take Spanish or French in Middle school and it was such an easy decision. I enjoyed the way my teacher taught the class and I always did well. My relationship only grew when my brother got a job at the local ski mountain. He worked with a bunch of kids from Argentina, Peru, and Brazil. I was so amazed at how nice and welcoming these people were. They would meet someone once and immediately become their friend. As a result I started to work at the same place and made some friends of my own. While these things contributed to my decision, my love for Spanish really endured during high school. Continue reading →

Finding Comfort in Being Uncomfortable

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Currently, I am finishing my Fall 2019 semester of my senior year of college. However, it wasn’t until the end of my sophomore year that I fully declared my major in Spanish. Between graduating high school and entering college, I took a gap semester to Central America. Therefore, I entered UMASS in the Spring semester. Not only was I unsure of what I wanted to study, but I also wanted to be involved in an experience involving learning about other cultures. I additionally wanted to focus on my own personal growth. Initially, I was extremely nervous going to a location that I was unfamiliar to. When I mentioned to other people where I was going for my gap semester, often times, their reaction wasn’t as positive as I anticipated. This was commonly affiliated with their ideas regarding safety in such areas. The initial responses I got from other people about where I was going provoked high anxiety and doubt in continuing with the program. However, it was one of the best things I have ever done. Continue reading →

Sustainable Tourism

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For my integrative experience, I took a gap semester and traveled with a gap year program called Carpe Diem. With Carpe, I traveled in a small group to Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Honduras for a total of 3 months. I lived in Guatemala and Nicaragua for 5 weeks each, and then stayed in CR and Honduras for only a week each. My trip consisted of traveling to and staying in a new place just about every week, which allowed me to see and experience a ton. During my experience, I learned a lot about sustainable tourism, sustainable volunteerism, and sustainable travel, and I wanted to share some things specifically about sustainable volunteerism, because service learning is something that many students consider when thinking about an integrative experience. Continue reading →