My true understanding of other cultures began my first semester of Junior year when for my major, I had to take two consecutive semesters of the same language. Since I took Spanish in high school, I decided to take that track. At first, I was annoyed at having to take a language class required for my major, until the first day of class where I met my biggest inspiration at George Mason University, Carrie Bonilla. Carrie Bonilla is a Spanish professor at Mason who with her passion to teach and help others learn the language, inspired me to genuinely want to not only learn the language but flourish in it. After being enlightened about learning a different language, I began wanting to learn more about the cultural aspect as well. Since my first semester as Mason, I have been a history major with the intention to study abroad in Germany studying World War II and the 3rd reich, my favorite era in history. However, after taking Professor Bonilla’s class for only a semester, I decided to study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country instead, and I chose Granada, Spain. Following the months before I left for my month abroad over the summer, I practiced my Spanish wherever I coud to improve my listening and talking skills.

There was one incident specifically which solidified my interest in studying not only the language of Spanish, but the divine culture that goes along with it. I was driving at night with one of my best friends and we were both craving a smoothie. With it being 9:30pm, no mainstream smoothie places were open, so we decided to go to McDonalds where they indeed have smoothies as well. Whilst ordering our smoothies, the female employee was quite short and rude with us for no apparent reason. On our way to the pay window, I realized I was craving fries so I went inside to go purchase some. As I was walking into the establishment, I heard the employees speaking Spanish to each other. When the man working there asked what I wanted in English, I responded, slightly nervously, in Spanish. Shock and the dropping of jaws spread across the restaurant like a wildfire, that I was able to speak and understand Spanish despite my non-hispanic appearance. Their demeanor and attitude towards me changed immediately to excitement that I could communicate effectively in their native language. The female employee who was had been recently rude to my friend and I, gave me a huge, warm, smile and came over to conversate with us and inquire how I learned the language. This seemingly mundane story showed me the importance of understanding other cultures and becoming diverse yourself through education. Learning a second language has propelled me significantly in both my social and professional life.

On May 30th, I left for Granada, Spain where here I discovered the magic of being immersed in a different culture and essentially a different world. In Spain, I was in class for 5 hours a day, 5 days a week for a month where I learned more than I ever thought possible. My communication skills have improved greatly and so has my sense of adventure. Each day was filled with learning new words, grammatical concepts, and then going out into the city and use what we learned by talking to locals and meeting new people in the study abroad program. Being in a different country allowed me to gain a perspective I never would have received if I had not gone away to Europe to study abroad. Now, I am able to almost fully write and speak in Spanish. Who knew that one professor could change my course of learning.