Research and Rationale

Over the summer, I went to Peru and Ecuador. When I was there, I learned more Spanish in two weeks than I have in eight years of sitting in a classroom. I have always wanted to be bilingual, and I realized if I want to learn Spanish fluently I would need to spend time in a Spanish speaking country. However, I know the experience would not be the same as if I went to study abroad through Florida State rather than a vacation because my parents did the general tours when we were there, but I never got to interact with anyone who lives there besides a driver. In addition to wanting to learn another language, I have always been interested in learning about a different community than one I was born into. For instance, I joined Por Colombia last semester to learn more about Colombia and learn about important figures within their community.

I want further my education into learning about another culture by being part of the Study Abroad community because I feel like studying abroad can benefit someone in multiple aspects of life. My research question is how does learning about another culture abroad develops you as a student at FSU. I think it is important for everyone to understand someone else’s culture and be able to live outside your comfort zone at least once in your life. I plan to look into stories from FSU students and see how their experiences abroad have influenced their outlook on life. In addition, I am going to look at the correlation between the amount of jobs opportunities you have received due to going abroad. I will also research the qualities people develop when they travel away from the culture.