As a future teacher, I must be able to engage my students not only in regards to schooling and education, but also in global awareness. From my time spent abroad, I would be able to relate my experiences to my students and create an environment of cultural competence to help make them more knowledgeable and more aware of their global citizenship. My very first experience outside the country was during my freshman year here at Ozarks. I went with Alpha & Omega on their mission trip to Guatemala and I was scared to death. Moreover, I was unsure about myself and my abilities to perform. However, once I arrived, God gave me the peace and assurance that I needed—and from there, I was able to have an amazing experience by helping with the college students there and …show more content…
During that mission trip, I was able to go out to the community and help out with whatever needs they had. One day we went to the school and spent an afternoon playing with the kids. I was able to be a positive role model in their lives. Now, I am wanting to return to the community where my passion for being abroad started, Guatemala, and experience even more of what they have to offer me. I am a Mathematics major, Secondary Education minor, and also a Spanish minor. I will be going into the teaching profession as a high school math teacher. I want to be able to not only teach math, but also possibly teach Spanish. As a Spanish minor, this summer abroad would fit with what I have learned and would allow me the opportunity to apply my knowledge in real life situations. Learning a language is completely different from actually experiencing it and using it daily. Taking a Spanish class abroad would help me to complete my degree within my time here at Ozarks. I would be able to focus on completing the rest of my degrees rather than all the classes still needed for my Spanish