"[Language study] has increased my cultural competence and tolerance towards discomfort."
Major(s) and Certificate(s): Spanish, Portuguese, Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies
Language(s): Spanish and Portuguese Ecuadorian Kichwa, and Yucatec Maya
Graduation Year: 2015
What motivated you to study this/these languages?
I studied Spanish in high school, so I wanted to keep studying it to acquire fluency. Then I studied Portuguese because I wanted to learn a third language since it was similar to Spanish and is spoken near Spanish-speaking countries. I studied Kichwa because I liked the professor and never learned a language apart from a Romance one. I studied Yucatec Maya because I wanted to do the immersion trip to the Yucatan which I did in 2015.
What do you remember about your UW language classes? How were they different from other classes you took?
There is a lot more conversation in language classes. They’re also smaller, and I was able to get to know my professors quite well.
How valuable were your out-of-classroom experiences? How did they add to your undergraduate experience/coursework?
I loved living in Brazil for a year because it allowed me to become fluent in academic and conversational Portuguese. I also chose to live in a city that wasn’t a global city, so I truly immersed myself in Brazilian culture and lived with Brazilians. I also got to know people from all around the world who were also studying abroad in Brazil. The other experience in Mexico was worthwhile because I learned about Mayan culture, saw ruins, and had a language partner who lived in a Mayan village.
What have you done in a professional capacity since graduating from UW-Madison?
I worked as a bilingual customer service rep at Northwestern Mutual. Then I taught Spanish for three and a half years. Now I am a bilingual receptionist for an immigration law firm in Milwaukee.
What are ways, either expected or unexpected, that your language study has benefited you in your career?
It has increased my cultural competence and tolerance towards discomfort. Studying abroad and practicing a language before you know it well forces you to uncomfortable and perhaps embarrassed because you know you don’t sound good. However, that experience increases courage and patience so you can be more accepting of yourself and others.
How have you maintained or improved your language(s) since graduation?
I have greatly improved my Spanish since teaching heritage language learners and working in the law firm. I use it most of the day. As for Portuguese, I still keep in touch every once in a while with my friends from Brazil and participate in UW-Milwaukee’s Bate Papo group sometimes.
What advice do you have for students who are studying language(s) about how to incorporate their interests and skills into their future goals?
Think about how you want to use the language and if that really is a value of importance to you. If so, you may want to consider living abroad or living in a global city in the US like New York or Chicago etc.