As children we all get asked what we want to be when we grow up. Most people chose to say doctor, lawyer, or a similar profession. I wanted to be like someone I admired: a teacher. Through the years that answer changed numerous times, from nurse to chef to psychiatrist. After high school, the time for big decisions loomed, and I had no definite answer. So I pursued my strength: literature. Initially, I ventured into the world of English literature, the classical works that have been studied for ages. Yet the connection was not very strong. While I enjoyed the tales and the glimpses into those worlds, I was missing something. I have found that something, while still literature, I was apparently looking outside the box a bit much, when the answer was closer to home than I expected. Spanish literature and the adventures of exploring the various cultures and history are what have opened my eyes to this aspect of me I was missing. With this newfound piece, I hope to pass on my insight and my thirst for knowledge of the Spanish language and its various cultures with students of my own as a teacher.
I was born and raised to immigrant parents who settled in Salinas, who while they were not able to individually pursue the education field for themselves, always encouraged me to do my best. So much so, that the idea of college and higher education was not simply something that was an option for me, but the logical next step in life. Because my parents worked so hard to achieve the best for my family we were able to settle into a small business, where we run most of it ourselves. I spent most of my teen and young-adult years working with my family, where our target range is people from the near area, who are a high-range of hispanic people. From this experience I have seen the need for professionals in fields who are bilingual, in various languages. With this awareness, I strived with greater determination to become an educator of Spanish to bridge the connection from people who are monolingual.
The path towards my dream career was not easy. With the decision to pursue a bachelor’s in Spanish Language and Hispanic Culture, I had the realization that I lacked a lot of knowledge. To some it may sound ridiculous that a hispanic lacks knowledge of hispanic culture, however, without much of a formal education in hispanic cultures and the grammatical aspects, besides my own Mexican heritage and gleaned basic knowledge, it was a reality I had to face. At the California State University of Monterey Bay (CSUMB) my vocabulary and fluidity in speaking has notably increased from my starting point.
In the courses I have undertaken I have been able to study aspects of linguistics of Spanish, an aspect of the language I had little knowledge on. Through collaborative courses with the Japanese students we have been able to develop an online portfolio that documents the path I took in my specialization of Spanish. Throughout my time at CSUMB I have been able to make substantial connections with classmates who come from a variety of backgrounds all with the same interest and dedication to the Spanish Language and the variety of diverse hispanic cultures.
Now, reaching my graduating semester here at CSUMB (Spring 2020), my goals have not altered much, I still have these dreams of achieving an even higher education. Upon graduating, I will be taking a short break from schooling however, this is to allow myself to take a much needed break in my nonstop life, but after I will continue my education or possibly pursue a job in the Spanish field. For now I will focus on continuing to increase my understanding of the diverse spanish speaking cultures of the world and my use of Spanish around the community.
I was born and raised to immigrant parents who settled in Salinas, who while they were not able to individually pursue the education field for themselves, always encouraged me to do my best. So much so, that the idea of college and higher education was not simply something that was an option for me, but the logical next step in life. Because my parents worked so hard to achieve the best for my family we were able to settle into a small business, where we run most of it ourselves. I spent most of my teen and young-adult years working with my family, where our target range is people from the near area, who are a high-range of hispanic people. From this experience I have seen the need for professionals in fields who are bilingual, in various languages. With this awareness, I strived with greater determination to become an educator of Spanish to bridge the connection from people who are monolingual.
The path towards my dream career was not easy. With the decision to pursue a bachelor’s in Spanish Language and Hispanic Culture, I had the realization that I lacked a lot of knowledge. To some it may sound ridiculous that a hispanic lacks knowledge of hispanic culture, however, without much of a formal education in hispanic cultures and the grammatical aspects, besides my own Mexican heritage and gleaned basic knowledge, it was a reality I had to face. At the California State University of Monterey Bay (CSUMB) my vocabulary and fluidity in speaking has notably increased from my starting point.
In the courses I have undertaken I have been able to study aspects of linguistics of Spanish, an aspect of the language I had little knowledge on. Through collaborative courses with the Japanese students we have been able to develop an online portfolio that documents the path I took in my specialization of Spanish. Throughout my time at CSUMB I have been able to make substantial connections with classmates who come from a variety of backgrounds all with the same interest and dedication to the Spanish Language and the variety of diverse hispanic cultures.
Now, reaching my graduating semester here at CSUMB (Spring 2020), my goals have not altered much, I still have these dreams of achieving an even higher education. Upon graduating, I will be taking a short break from schooling however, this is to allow myself to take a much needed break in my nonstop life, but after I will continue my education or possibly pursue a job in the Spanish field. For now I will focus on continuing to increase my understanding of the diverse spanish speaking cultures of the world and my use of Spanish around the community.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Filip Patock