For the second part of the Spanish major’s integrative experience, I will be studying abroad in Alicante, Spain in spring 2017. I have wanted to study abroad since high school. In high school, I visited Spain for ten days and ever since then I have been dreaming of returning for a longer stay. Continue reading
Maybe you are like many and think you want to study abroad in Europe. You are definitely not alone, all of my friends decided to study abroad in Europe, mainly in Barcelona. And yes, Barcelona is an incredible city with so much to offer and being in Europe travel is so easy! No judgement if you want to go there, but that is why it is such a popular abroad location: everyone knows how amazing Europe is.
Believe me, I get it. The thought of traveling around with a group of your best friends from UMass for a semester sounds like so much fun! Really it does, but is that what going abroad is all about? In my opinion it’s not. Going abroad should be more than hanging out with your college bffs taking Instagram pictures of each other. It should be about letting yourself discover who you are, challenging yourself, learning a new way of life and accepting cultural differences, experiencing breath taking moments, and finding out what truly makes you happy. Maybe you can do this in Barcelona surrounded by people you already know, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to. Continue reading
A few weeks ago I received a call from a random number, annoyed that I have been constantly getting random calls I answered and was prepared to ask whoever it was calling me to remove my number from their list. Surprisingly, it was call from one of my API advisors informing me that I had been accepted into the Argentine and Latin American Studies Program in Buenos Aires. Continue reading
Today I read this article about the importance importance of preparation prior to studying abroad and a reflective process when students return from these experiences. We hope that the Integrative Experience sequence addresses at least some of these concerns.
I am planning to study abroad next semester in Granada, Spain. This decision was made fairly recently. At the beginning if this semester I had no intention of studying abroad so soon. But as I thought more about it next semester seemed to be the only option for me.
As some of you know I am in the marching band here at Umass. The band here is an enormous part of my life. I knew I didn’t want to miss fall semester, because that would mean missing band. I knew I didn’t want to go senior year, because there are a lot of important things that I wouldn’t want to miss. Many people suggested going on a short winter or summer study abroad program. I ruled this out because of financial reasons. If I went during the winter or summer, I would be paying for an extra semester of school. Whereas with fall and spring I would just be replacing a semester at Umass with a semester abroad. That left the spring semester of my second and third year here. As I entered this semester, I assumed it was too late to sign up to study abroad the very next semester. But as the date approached, I realized that next semester made the most sense for me and my studies. Continue reading
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
¡Hola a todos! My name is Siobhan Elvin and I am a recent UMass graduate (’14) and former student of Professor Marentes. Today I am blogging to inform current UMass senior/junior Spanish majors about what I have been up since graduation so as to hopefully motivate any of you thinking of moving abroad to a Spanish speaking country to have no fear and just GO!!!!! :)
During my last semester as a senior Spanish major at UMass, I was 180% unsure of exactly what I wanted to do after graduation. Seniors especially, welcome to the dreaded quarter life crisis that is the next 9 months of your life. I personally was terrified of the thought that May 10, 2014, meant I would no longer be a Minuteman, and that I needed a plan for postgrad life. So I did what I recommend others follow suit of: I applied to a variety of things to keep my options open and prolong my ultimate decision until the very last possible moment. I knew that I wanted to continue improving and practicing my Spanish, so I applied to UMass’ Graduate Program in Hispanic Literature and Cultures, as well as I applied to the Spanish Ministry of Education’s “Language and Culture Assistants” Program Teaching English in Spain. I was accepted to both which made me even more unsure of what I wanted to do, but after lots of thinking and tough decision making, I chose the latter, to try out new surroundings away from UMass and to return to the Spanish paradise that I had left in Salamanca just a year before. Continue reading
For my integrative experience, I have chosen to study abroad in Granada, Spain next fall. I was originally going to study abroad next spring semester, but after discussing it with my family I have decided to defer my application for the Fall 2015 semester instead.
I am studying abroad through API. A friend of mine went to Barcelona through the API program and had a great time. He was very happy to have been able to experience the country and all that came with it. In order to apply, I had to make an online account through the API website. I had to fill out online forms, get a letter of recommendation, and send in my transcript. I was informed shortly after that I had been accepted into the Hispanic Studies Program. Continue reading
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!
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