Kalyn is Going to Costa Rica to Learn Spanish!

Kalyn Sanderfer Start Date: Jan 29, 2015 - End Date: May 10, 2015
  • Study/Degree Abroad
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Professional Development
  • San José, Costa Rica

My Travel Story

by: Kalyn Sanderfer Start Date: Jan 29, 2015 - End Date: May 10, 2015
  • Study/Degree Abroad
  • Educational/Research Trip
  • Professional Development
My entire college career, from my choice of study to my extra-curricular interests, has been motivated by the social justice community and social change work. A large part of what I have accomplished over the last four years has included working in minority and low-income communities. Specifically, I have collaborated closely with African-American and Hispanic students on improving their chances of getting accepted into a university. This has always been a personal passion of mine, since I grew up in a low-income community that was largely Hispanic and Black, but I hope to continue this social change work professionally in my future. I will be attending the U of M School of Social Work in the fall and, as a community organizer, I plan on working closely with Spanish-speaking communities that lack educational and financial resources. I feel in order to successfully implement positive change in their lives, it is necessary to be well-versed in their native language, and familiar with Hispanic culture. I believe the best way for me to accomplish that is through studying abroad. Because of my own socio-economic background, I would never be able to travel overseas without financial assistance. Having this experience while still a student could provide me with the resources I need to have a safe and comfortable trip, and give me an educational context in which to learn about the country and its culture. I have been studying Spanish since my senior year of high school, and have grown to admire the culture that surrounds the language. I need to study abroad because I understand the critical importance of learning about different communities and feel confident that the Spanish language will be second nature to me if I have the opportunity to live in that culture. The skills that I gain from this experience will be of immediate use in my personal and professional life, and will allow me to expand my relationships in both arenas.
  • San José, Costa Rica

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