"El Camino" to a second language by Dana

"El Camino" to a second language by Dana - March 2014 Scholarship Essay

Although I enjoyed Spanish class in high school, the thought of acquiring a second language was non-existent. After studying four years in high school I headed off to college and enrolled in a Spanish course. I discovered that I had a good foundation of the language, at least in the lower level classes. So I attempted the upper division courses and found out that I was the only student in the class that was not fluent in Spanish. Being in Utah, I quickly discovered that all of the other males in the class, which was almost all of the other students in the class, had served a mission for the LDS church in a Spanish speaking country. I felt significantly unprepared. I talked to my professor and we decided that it was a good time to step out of my comfort zone and get some language experience. Being the first in my family to ever leave the United States was nerve racking for the family and me, but necessary. This began the process of my greatest academic achievement. This decision would notably shape who I am today.

So it was off to Cuernavaca, México that I went. The residence of Rosaurio and Fernando would be my home for the summer. I soon discovered that my four years in high school were almost enough to get by, although it didn't save me from taking a bus to the top of a nearby hill where the driver looked at me in his rearview mirror and said, "¿Te equivocaste? (Were you wrong?)" He lived in a small neighborhood at the top of the hill and his home was the end of his route. He kindly called a taxi for the tearful me so that I could get home. I experienced culture while practicing language. From buying tickets to a game of "fútbol" outside the grand Aztec stadium to getting my jazzercise on with 10 kind ladies in an aerobics class at the local "club atlético," I found ways to converse with all who would have me.

I decided I could do it. Finishing my undergraduate degree, I obtained a job teaching Spanish 1 and 3 at the high school level. The most challenging part was that I was teaching a few native Spanish speakers their own language. I made it through my first year teaching and then continued to venture off to foreign countries to hone my craft and gain confidence during the summers. During these years I grew a love not only for the language, but also the people and their culture. As a high school Spanish teacher I was able to take these academic achievements and educate and inspire.

The impact of this academic perseverance in my twenties not only has propelled me forward professionally, but now allows me to be a positive influence to teenagers during such a vulnerable stage of life. The confidence that they gain through success in a foreign language has propelled many down paths that they never saw possible.