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Gina M. • International Program in Toledo • Spanish Major
“I’m
not just a Spanish major because of the language, but I wanted
to learn Spain’s culture...”
—Gina M. |
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Gina is a Spanish major who went on the International Program in Toledo, Spain for one semester. She interned at an immigrant education center, in addition to taking courses in language, history and culture. She felt it was a good experience that gave her insight into the Spanish culture.
Gina chose the Toledo program because it had a lot to offer, including courses taught by native Spanish-speakers. She found that the professors were accessible and that they made time to take care of individual students’ needs. "I'm not just a Spanish major because of the language, but I wanted to learn Spain’s culture, and all of my classes there did a great job of that. The teachers were all from Spain, and they had a lot to say, they knew a lot." One of her favorite classes was the Art of Toledo, which she called “an opportunity to see Toledo through your class,” which helped her understand the culture and the current situation in the city.
Gina said the experience in Toledo opened doors for her in terms of career planning. She realized that she could teach internationally, even returning to Spain. "It gave me such a better understanding of why they are how they are, and why they’re different from us, and how I could work with that," she said.
Gina had an internship with La Escuelita para los Inmigrantes, a school for recently arrived immigrants in Toledo. She worked with children who were learning Spanish as a second language, helping them to develop vocabulary, as well as cultural understanding. Gina found that the students were going through some of the same processes that she was as an international student. She also learned about the nature of work in Spain. She said, "At the internship, you"re really part of the culture. They don"t put you aside at all. They want you to learn, this is what it"s like to teach, these are the situations that will come up, and this is how we do it. That really taught me what it would be like to be a teacher, and just be in the working world in Spain."
Last modified on August 13, 2009 |