Seville, Spain: Culture & Language Immersion Trip

Growing up in the Bronx has prevented me from seeing different cultures other than those of Hispanic or African Americans even with New York's mass diversity. To overcome this challenge, I plan on not only practicing some Spanish during my free time but also, researching little things that are common in Spanish culture, so I don’t feel overwhelmed by an entirely new environment. Giving myself a small glimpse of this culture will make me more conscious of what I’ll be stepping into. Thankfully, I have taken Spanish classes so with my passing grades and day to day conversations I am learning to be a better Spanish speaker.  

   Participating in this program would give me an advantage in pursuing my goal, of being an entrepreneur, in the future. In Spain, I hope to learn how to speak more of their language and also meet people from other parts of the world that I can build connections with. I hope to expand my view and knowledge of the world by experiencing, first hand, a glimpse of Spain itself and not through google searches. Especially being from New York, where you're always told to stick to your comfort zone because I want to challenge myself with this experience. I will learn how to work in a space with teammates who have the same goals or ideas as me.  I am also interested in this program because I hope to learn more about specific fields of entrepreneurship that I want to continue practicing. This program will expose me to a sample version of what I hope to do in the real world. Working with professionals who have experience with this language will help me make more connections with a variety of people so that I am deemed extraordinary to possible future employers.

   Also, because this program is in Spain I will be learning about global interactions by a culture that intrigues me. The Spanish culture and language fascinate me, and it is an excellent opportunity to learn about a place I may otherwise not have the chance to travel to while exploring how my field of interest is also practiced in that country. This program will be a great way to spend my summer after a year of hard work with commitments like making my community better, weekend school, and extracurricular activities.

   I know that risk-taking is a key character strength I'll need to develop in order to flourish in a college setting and in the world of business. However, so far I have not had enough opportunities to take risks, because I've not been outside the Bronx enough and because the education at KIPP is good but lacks enrichment opportunities. I flourished in my Spanish class and in my world history class, where I consistently earned high grades and even a 5 on the AP exam. I have goals of attending an elite college- like Dartmouth or Princeton- becoming an entrepreneur and setting myself up for a career in which I can support my family, including my several siblings. Additionally, I have done a lot to reach those goals, including having an outstanding GPA average of 4.27, being ranked 4 of almost 300 students in my class, and participating in past summer programs like BizCamp at NYU. Therefore, going abroad to Spain is a PERFECT summer opportunity for me. It will afford a sense of adventure, challenge opportunities, and chances to grow in academic skills like Spanish speaking.