Hello everyone, my name is Carlene! I am 19 years old and am from the United States. I am a dreamer and an adventurer and have always wanted to learn and see more of other cultures. So when I graduated high school in 2024, I made the decision to go and take a "gap year" in Madrid, Spain. Little did I know that choice would change the course of my future.

While I was in Spain, I worked as an "Au Pair" for a lovely host family and studied Spanish at a small language school too. While I was in Spain, I started to fall in love with the culture, the language, and the new life I was building for myself. I knew I would not be able to return to my "old plans" of living in the States after my year abroad.

So I started to apply for universities in Madrid and look into how I could stay in Spain. Very happily, I can say I have been accepted into a university, which I will start in September 2026 to study psychology! :,)

For the next year, I will be working to save money, prepare visa stuff, apply for scholarships, and of course continue working on my Spanish. This is where I need your help!

I have been financially independent and my sole supporter since I was 17 due to my family situation. Of course, saving to move and study abroad comes with many expenses. I am working my hardest, but also would be so grateful to receive any help at all too!

My first year at the university will cost a little over 5,915€ or roughly $6,988.

For the university, I also need to gain a level B2 in Spanish. I currently have an A2 and need about 6 more months of immersive Spanish classes to gain the B2 level. For this, my goal is to go back to Madrid in February 2026 to continue at my old Spanish language school. The cost of the language school for the 6 months will roughly be 3,480€ or $4,112.

On top of the school payments, I also will need to pay for visa paperwork: background check, getting papers notarized and translated by professionals, the visa appointment(s), health insurance, flight to Madrid, etc.

I am currently working on getting my TEFL license to teach English classes online, so that while I am studying in Spain for the next 4 years, I will have an income. But for my first year, I could definitely use some help to get on my feet. I am committed to making this happen and following through on my dream, however long it takes- But with your support and donations I can get to my dream quicker!

So if you've made it to the end of this, thank you for taking the time to read. I know I am so lucky to have this opportunity of studying in a different country and I am so grateful for it. Thank you for considering donating to me. Every dollar will truly help me out in getting closer to my little/big dream and I will truly be very grateful for everything.

Thank you again.

-Carlene