My Global Learning Capstone Project
One of the main features of FIU that lead me to attend university there was the diverse community in which it is located. Never before had I lived such a vibrant city as Miami, one full of inhabitants that spoke a language different than my native tongue.
I began learning Spanish at the age of 14 in my freshman year of high school. Almost immediately, I felt captivated by the language. It carried such beauty and emotion even in its most basic words, an artistry that I had never experienced before in a foreign language. Beyond the words, however, I became even more curious about the people and cultures that shaped their language.
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Before coming to Miami, most of my knowledge about Spanish and the cultures of South America was limited to secondhand experiences through textbooks and stories. Once I arrived to Miami, I was able to live out myself what I had been told. I got to hold regular conversations with native Spanish-speakers from all over the Spanish-speaking world.
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I was amazed by the constant opportunities I got to practice Spanish and the many ways I could acquire more skills in that area. One of the first ways I did this was to attend a Spanish-speaking church. This was an amazing experience both culturally and spiritually because its really helped me to adjust to the Miami culture. The majority of attendants came from South America or the Caribbean and like me were learning a second language. The second way that I learned Spanish before taking formal classes in Spanish was through my jobs in the community. I worked in two positions that required the use of Spanish as much as or more than English. I was constantly challenged to learn new vocabulary and put it into practice as I interacted with customers. Thirdly, I had friends and classmates who spoke Spanish as their first language with whom I could practice and from whom I could learn.
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Having developed preliminary skills in the language, I sought to gain entrance into the Spanish certificate program. The program consisted of 6 courses of 2 required courses and 4 electives for a total of 18 credit hours. The two required courses were Intermediate Spanish II and Review Grammar/Writing. The other courses I took were Latin American History, Spanish History, Advanced Conversation, and Advanced Spanish and Grammar Composition I. The courses taught me what I had been craving to learn about before. I gained a greater understanding of Spain and the world's Hispanic cultures as well as the evolving Hispanic identity in the United States.
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It was exciting to complete the first two courses even though they were online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it was at this time that I began to encounter challenges in learning Spanish. As I was away from Miami for over a year, the ease I had previously found in practicing Spanish was no longer at my disposal. I no longer had a job or a community in which Spanish was commonly used. I realized after that year and a half that the level of Spanish I could once speak was no longer as high. meant that I would be outside of the Miami community for several months and taking my courses online. Although this was partially due to my environment, I had to realize that it was ultimately up to me to regain my Spanish.
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I thought about giving up, but I ended up persevering through to complete my certificate. As I graduate in the coming weeks, I will once again be leaving the environment that makes it easy to practice my Spanish. I will have to choose to continue pursuing global learning after I leave FIU. I know this program has given me all that I need to succeed.
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