Being bilingual has given me the opportunity to appreciate the diversity of cultures. I grew up in Colombia, speaking only Spanish, until my family migrated to Miami, Florida when I was six years old. Due to my early departure from Colombia, I took Spanish in high school to perfect my writing and reading, which has inspired me to explore other languages as well. My interest in Portuguese began when I learned that Brazil was the only Latin American country that did not speak Spanish and led me to take two semesters of the language at the collegiate level. After taking all the classes that my university offered, I paid for my own study abroad trip to Brazil and spent three weeks there. My classes focused on the culture of the region rather than the dynamics of the language. Nevertheless, I continued to practice my language proficiency while building relationships with my host family, particularly their daughter, Vitoria. I communicate with Vitoria on a regular basis and practice my grammar and vocabulary using Duolingo. With the opportunity to study Portuguese through the Boren scholarship, I would continue studying the complexities of the language through and after the program by staying in Brazil the rest of the summer with Vitoria and her family. I would also practice and extend my knowledge by applying for the Fulbright …show more content…
The courses which would have the greatest impact on my educational career are Latin American Social Inequalities Politics in Brazil, and Latin American Political History. These three courses examine the class system and economic structure of Brazil. To effectively interact with Brazil on international relations perspective, it is important to understand their past policies and regimes. They analyze Brazil from a political, historical and cultural perspective, providing me an unexpurgated cultural competency of