MAJOR: Communication Studies

PROGRAM: SJSU Exchange – Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain

EMAIL: sophia.garske@sjsu.edu

BIO: Navigating different cultures has been a part of my life since before I could logically understand what “culture” meant. My mother is Colombian and my father from the United States, meaning bilingualism has been a norm not only in my home, but in any environment I found myself in. Growing up, I had the luck of living in both the U.S. and Colombia. By the time I arrived in San Jose, I knew my time to see the world was not over, but only just beginning. Since my very first day on campus at orientation, the moment I met Julie and learned that studying abroad was an option, I was set. I had a deep understanding that, no matter what country I chose, studying abroad in college would be in the books for me, and I was lucky enough that I had the continual support and opportunities to make this dream come true.

LEADERSHIP, VOLUNTEER, AND JOB EXPERIENCES: While abroad, I participated in several volunteering opportunities that were made available to me through the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program. The Reach The World organization and Fulbright Lectures in Catalan High Schools outreach program allowed me to raise awareness on international education among elementary and high school students in the U.S. and Spain.

Firstly, the Reach the World program allowed me to document my first months in Spain through articles that I sent every week to a fourth grade classroom. These articles have since been used in several elementary school classrooms to encourage global curiosity and empathy among young students. This program lasted throughout the duration of my first semester abroad.

During my second semester in Spain, I travelled throughout the region of Catalonia to speak in front of high school students, sharing my knowledge on higher education in the United States, and offering resources for those interested in pursuing this path. I visited 6 schools and spoke to up to 90 students at a time; in total, I reached 460 students. This experience motivated me to continue sharing resources for those interested in obtaining a global education. Interacting with students from different regions of Catalonia, and seeing how excited they were at the possibility of studying in another country was one of the most gratifying experiences from my time abroad.

After participating in several outreach programs to speak on international education, I am excited to continue motivating others on this path. As a person who has deeply benefitted from the opportunities to study abroad offered by SJSU, including the phenomenal programs, guidance, and scholarship opportunities, I would be tremendously grateful if another individual could enjoy the same life changing experience.

This day we had taken a bus from Barcelona to Collioure, in the south of France. We watched a painter as he made a portrait of this very landscape.

GOALS: One of my main goals was to learn the Catalan language. For context, after I arrived in Catalonia, I was surprised to see the omnipresence of this language. Catalonia being a region that politically belongs to Spain, I was equally surprised by the unappreciation expressed toward the Spanish language by some individuals, who felt more deeply connected to Catalan, as well as belonging to the Catalonian identity instead of Spain. Catalan is a language spoken mainly in the region of Catalonia, Valencian Community, Balearic islands and the country of Andorra, with about 13 million speakers. This language is believed to be dying out since many arrive in Catalonia speaking only Spanish or English and do not bother to learn Catalan. I wanted to be part of the community that cared enough about Catalonia to learn, and take care of their language. My goal abroad, although I was dissuaded by many since Catalan is not as widespread, was to be able to communicate in this language.

In a personal sense, my goal was to connect with Catalan natives by practicing cultural empathy; the “fight” to preserve Catalan is observable daily in Catalonia. I was excited, and deeply motivated, by the smile on people’s faces when I spoke to them in their language, no matter how rudimentary. My second semester I took a Catalan language course, and fell in love with learning languages. This led me to become more deeply invested in the skill of learning languages for professional purposes.

Since studying in Barcelona, I ultimately became more sure of my decision to declare a major in Business Administration, International Business, and continue to make my experience abroad relevant to my professional life. Learning languages, in addition to sparking a deep passion within me, is also a skill that can be deeply valuable for interpersonal connection, and therefore useful in a career doing business on an international scale. As I began studying the Catalan in a classroom setting, I also became enamored with the Italian language, and became fluent in both languages in a parallel dedication of my time. In my professional life, I hope to continue to use these abilities to create connections with others and make the most of my upcoming career path.

In sum, learning the Catalan language began as a small spark that over time led me to discover many aspects of myself, in a personal and professional sense, that were previously buried. My passion for learning languages was unexpected, and I am grateful to bring this with me in future professional, academic and personal endeavors.

ACADEMICS: I took several GE courses while abroad, including Marine Science, Catalan language, Comparative Literature, and several others, and would describe this experience as enriching. This experience has impacted my academics in the sense that I am more grateful for the style of teaching and guidance practiced by teachers in the U.S. I practiced frequent communication with my teachers on projects and presentations, and got the highest grade in the marine science class I had in Catalan, which was an 8/10. In hindsight, one of the main tips I would give to another student is to make sure their Academic Approval Form (AAF) is finalized before classes begin. Overall, my academic experience in Spain prepared me to navigate academics in a new, and more appreciative light of the system that exists in the U.S., as well as share perspective to guide other students planning on studying abroad.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: After engaging with the Catalan community, as well as other international students studying in Barcelona, I realize just how valuable an experience living abroad is for creating mutual understanding and empathy. In many cases, I noticed that the individuals who had previously experienced multiculturality tended to be open minded and accepting of others. I noticed how many naturally understood that “different” is not equivalent to strange, but actually an opportunity to become familiar with a different life experience, and even try something new. Going forward in my life, I hope to grow my engagement with individuals from cultures that I may not even be familiar with in this moment, to continue to grow my different interests, and even my ability to connect with people on different levels.

CAREER: Through my experiences volunteering in high schools, I realize that creating awareness on different opportunities and resources is very gratifying to me, and on campus I continue to seek these opportunities.

The Fulbright Lecture Series volunteering in high schools opened up several valuable opportunities to hone my public speaking skills, while sharing my knowledge on practical steps to studying in the U.S. for international students. I practiced educating myself on a topic- U.S. higher education opportunities- then speaking publicly on the subject in Spanish or English, with the average audience size being about 60 students. This experience was quite new to me, yet I know I will bring this ability with me to any room that I walk into. I discovered that I enjoy sharing resources with people, and continue to seek opportunities to do so on campus, such as the Global Ambassador program.

In sum, the skills that I acquired speaking and sharing resources in high schools abroad have equipped me with the public speaking abilities and drive to motivate others toward the path of international education, as a Global Ambassador.

PERSONAL GROWTH: I was immersed in an environment that I see myself in the long run: traveling through different countries, meeting different people, learning about the different experiences that people have based on their languages and places of origin. I met individuals who taught me about friendship, and why the people in our life are important. I discovered differences in how topics are discussed, at least by some, from my Polish-German roommate, Emmi, who had an incredibly interesting and educated critical point of view. I experienced kindness and connection in every country that I went to, spanning from meeting Americans in Belgium, having great conversation with a group of Austrians and a Slovenian in Andorra (the country), or visiting Morocco and having a laugh (and panic) when our lovely tour guide laid in the middle of the street just to see us smile (we told him he shouldn’t do that).

All in all, the integration of the connection I experienced, and seeing how every person in the world just wants to feel loved, while all having different languages to express this has profoundly touched me in ways I don’t think I ever will understand. I just feel lucky to have lived, and experienced these beautiful people, and know that I bring this love with me wherever I go, no matter how my environment looks.

IDENTITIES: My identity as “Colombian and American” experienced many complex shifts during my time abroad, as the language that I spoke in determined how people processed my actions.

When I spoke to people in Spanish, I experienced comments on my heavy Colombian accent, very different to the Spanish accent (from Spain). Many enjoy listening to the Colombian accent, yet in Spain there are many stereotypes on Latin Americans in general, and I received comments about documentation, deportation and to “be careful with police” on several occasions. These moments had a reverse effect in my brain, motivating me to share the beauty of Colombian culture and biodiversity, with the goal of giving others a new topic of conversation. I also grew to bond more frequently with Latin Americans from countries other than Colombia, including Peru, Chile, and Mexico, and enjoyed a sense of community and cultural understanding, while learning about the Catalonian culture which was new to all of us.

In hindsight, I had many positive experiences as a result of my culture, and can also reflect on the impact that ignorance and the propagation of stereotypes can have on seemingly neutral interactions. As always, I stand by the richness of culture present in Colombia, and I use my awareness of offhanded comments to craft new points of conversations with individuals from countries who also do not have the “best fame”, with the goal of uncovering the beauty within cultures that often go unnoticed.

FUTURE: My experiences through studying abroad have prepared me to continue seeking opportunities on an international scale. This experience has fundamented my decision to declare a major in Business Administration with a concentration in International Business, and based on the opportunities that have been made available to me, I am excited to continue learning about this path.

One of the most exciting experiences I remember was being flown to Brussels, Belgium to attend a study tour of the European Union, where we met other Gilman Scholars and EU officials. The chance to attend this study tour felt like a profoundly touching gift, and knowing that these opportunities exist, I am prepared to open myself up to more in my future, choosing for example to study International Business, continuing to learn languages and make the most of the opportunities to travel abroad.

TIPS: Make the most of every opportunity, and give yourself grace in the process. Studying abroad creates access to a wealth of exciting opportunities, whether that be chances to meet people, participate in a scholarship program, or attend a new cultural event. This being said, there are moments where our familiar identities or understanding of life no longer fit where they are “supposed to”; in other words, uncomfortable and frustrating moments are completely natural. More than natural, these are the moments that ultimately give us tools to discover new parts of ourselves. Uncomfortability results, I believe, from experiencing potential that our brain does not yet have the tools to process. The beauty in this is that we are changing, and the way that a person changes during studying in a new country can feel so deeply rewarding in the long run and can open up a completely new and unexpected life path.