A Semester Abroad, A Lifelong Impact

I want to address my experience studying abroad and how that influenced my career goals and my research interest. For some context, when I was applying to undergraduate, I knew two things. The first was that I wanted to be a Spanish teacher (that has since changed), and the second was that I wanted to study abroad. While choosing schools, I looked for schools that were in-state and had a reputable study abroad program. In discussions I had with my Spanish teachers in high school, they spoke highly of the language education program and the study abroad program. That was what it took to convince me to apply to the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire (UWEC).

Why did I study abroad?

As mentioned in my previous blog post, a study abroad immersion experience is a requirement for both the Spanish liberal arts major and for the Latin American Studies (LAS) major, so I didn’t have much of a choice. If I wanted to graduate, then I needed to go abroad.

Before I started my LAS major, I had originally wanted to study abroad in Spain. At the time, I wanted to have the typical Europe study abroad experience. As I started taking LAS courses, I realized that the history and culture surrounding Latin American interested me much more than Spanish culture did. Wanting to have a typical Europe immersion experience while also being interested in Latin America created a conflict within me. I didn’t know which program to go to. So, I asked around. Many friends and family members suggested that I go to Spain because it was the safer option since Latin America is “full of corruption and drug lords;” it isn’t.

I made my decision to do my Spanish immersion in Chile because one of my friends pointed out that Chile would better benefit my degree because I would receive credit for both my Spanish and LAS majors. That quickly solved the dilemma of where I was going to study abroad.

What prep work did I do before I left?

In my personal preparations, I changed the language of my phone from English to Spanish which, in my opinion, was one of the easiest things I could do. I was able to get exposure to words that I didn’t learn in my Spanish classes. I also started listening to music and watching Netflix in Spanish to help practice my listening skills.

Something I really appreciate about UWEC is the amount of preparation and guidance the Center for Internation Education (CIE) gives students that are preparing to study abroad. The CIE requires all students going abroad to participate in INTS 145, which is the pre-departure course. In this course, students go through weekly modules that are centered around the logistical things like getting a visa, receiving insurance, and local laws,

and culture specific themes such as, host country knowledge, health system differences, cultural differences, identity, and so on. The goal is to give students as much practical knowledge of how things can and will be different from the United States, and students must subm

it reflections to show they are actively thinking about these cultural differences. This course helped me a lot in preparing myself for my time abroad.

What was my experience?

It was life changing. It sounds cliché, but people who haven’t studied abroad

don’t understand. I have very few regrets from studying abroad, one of them being that I wish I had gone out and explored the city I lived in just a bit more. Every trip, every person I interacted with, each class, broke down a stereotype or preconceived notion that I didn’t even know I had. I was fortunate to have a support group of friends in my study abroad cohort and a support group of Chilean friends. They all enabled me to be the best version of myself that I could be, and I was able to meet a side of myself that I didn’t know existed. Of course, there were moments when I missed being back home in the U.S. with my friends and family.

I was pushed out of my comfort zone. I had to be an active person in my own life and do things for myself.

Through conversations with my study abroad coordinators in Chile and my own experience, I realized that I wanted to do what they do. They act in a mentor/coach capacity to help students adjust and navigate a unique experience. We all have potential within us that I believe can only be realized through some sort of immersion experience.

What was coming back like?

To be honest, coming back to the U.S. was difficult. There is a large build up to leaving the U.S. and going to the host country, but reentry into the U.S. isn’t really addressed. I thought I was prepared to return home, but upon my arrival I felt like a fish out of water. I recognized these familiar places and faces, yet they seemed different.

What was happening was that I was looking at everything through the lens that I had created while abroad. I was a changed person, but my friends and family didn't understand how much I changed. It's a disorienting experience to go back to familiar places when you feel like you don't belong there anymore. It wasn't easy, but I got a job and became really driven to reach out to friends to reestablish myself in the UWEC community.

Published December 8th