German Studies & International Studies double major

After graduation, I moved to Berlin to continue studying German on the Ann Cornelisen Fellowship. Language learning isn’t easy but I have made considerable progress and have made great friends here. I find myself speaking English, Spanish, and German seamlessly throughout my day. Besides attending language classes, I actually do some teaching. On the weekdays, I teach English on-line to children in rural Colombia with the organization Volunteers in Colombia. In November, I will depart for Barcelona to begin my Watson Fellowship year. There I will teach English at a Spanish/Catalan school, as well as take Catalan classes. My goal is to gain a greater understanding of children’s relationship with their heritage language and how parents interact with school systems around the world.

On the personal side, I have found a home here in Berlin. I’ve recently decided to apply to grad programs here and contemplate staying in Germany for a couple of more years. It’s not easy being away from home, but my family supports my decision and are so happy to see me thrive here. My mom says it gives her more of an excuse to visit Europe. 😀  My sister will give birth any day now and I am excited about becoming an aunt.

As for career goals, I want to obtain a masters in education research and get involved with the EdTech startup scene in Berlin. My long term goal is to successfully apply for the Learning, Design & Technology program at Stanford. If it wasn’t for the Transitions Research Team, I don’t think I would have developed this curiosity for research. Thank you again for this amazing opportunity. Programs like this make me really happy to have chosen Vassar!!