Well what have we got going on here?My name is Julia Klynstra and I am a Spring Arbor University student currently studying abroad in Antigua, Guatemala.
I'm majoring in Social Work and double minoring in Psychology and Spanish. It's this passion for Spanish language and Central-American culture that brought me to Guatemala. I'll be spending four and a half months here, taking 22 credits of Spanish and immersing myself into a community that's drastically different from the small, conservative West Michigan town I grew up in. My dream is to be able to take this experience and apply it to a career in Clinical Social Work, allowing me to serve clients in multiple languages and meet needs of growing immigrant populations. This blog will serve so many different purposes. First of all, this blog lets my family and friends keep tabs on my adventures, stay informed on my escapades, and rest assured that I am, in fact, still very much alive and kicking. It lets Spring Arbor students glimpse the Guatemala semester program and my campus friends see what I'm up to. Additionally, I will be connecting with elementary and middle school students in my hometown, enhancing their Spanish curriculum. After speaking with their Spanish teachers, one of the areas that the students struggle with is connecting basic language fundamentals with the lifestyle of people who actually live in Hispanic cultures. Their homework each week involves reading and listening to media in Spanish. Some of my posts will be in Spanish, and in addition to my being able to look back as my language development progresses, I will be helping these 2nd through 8th grade students fill in the gaps in their Spanish education. |