Why I Chose to Study Abroad

I am so excited to study abroad soon – in 7 days, God willing, I will make my way to Managua, Nicaragua to study Spanish and Communication at La Universidad Americana.

Rewind 16 years, and I had my first day, of my first Spanish class ever – I was 7 years old. Throughout elementary school, I had the opportunity of taking Spanish for an hour a day, 5 days a week. All of my teachers from 2^nd-6^th grade were native Spanish speakers. I also grew up in Somerville, MA, where there was a large population of Latin Americans, particularly from Caribbean countries like the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Cuba. These two aspects of my childhood, started the interest and identification with Latin culture that I have today.

I chose la Universidad Americana Managua, for several reasons. First, I like the location of Nicaragua because there I will have easy access to travel in neighboring Costa Rica, Honduras and El Salvador. I also like that the climate is tropical and the weather will be warm, even during the rainy season, which I will be experiencing. Second, the university offers classes in both of my majors, Spanish and communication. I thought that a good way to test my language skills would be to apply them in a different discipline, though it helps that I am already familiar with communication courses.  Third, while researching the school, I found staff easy to approach and they responded to my emails in a timely manner. This was a huge indicator that the school would be a good fit (I guess this part is still pending, but I will let you know in a couple weeks!).

Either way, I am grateful to have this opportunity, and to soon fulfill my dream of study abroad!

- Kine Camara