I had not been outside of the continental United States before entering UNC, but through an incredible scholarship program, I was able to work in non-profit organizations in Laos, The Gambia and Argentina. I studied abroad for a semester in Mendoza, Argentina, where I lived with a host family that only spoke Spanish. While this experience was quite difficult at first, it helped me gain fluency and confidence in the language. I ran my first marathon in Argentina that summer, and I came back to the States with a new confidence in my language-speaking ability and in my physical pursuits. During my senior year of college, I auditioned for the Joffrey Ballet School, and promptly moved to New York City to pursue dreams of working in live theater. I have worked as an actor and a dancer around the country, and I’ve been able to travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Cuenca, Spain to work in musical theatre.
My interest in non-profit organizations blossomed in NYC, as I worked in youth homes, day shelters, detention centers and alternative justice programs. It has been fulfilling to work with a variety of different communities and to use Spanish to communicate more effectively at times. Here in Pasto, I continue to use Spanish in daily life as well as with my roommate, who is Venezuelan and speaks Spanish. I am enjoying both the challenges and the discoveries of cultural and linguistic immersion here. Highlights include trying cuy (guinea pig), the local dish of Pasto; throwing foam in Pasto’s world-famous Carnaval de Negros y Blancos; and hiking Galeras, the most active volcano in Colombia.
Travel within Colombia has been beautiful and exciting.
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