As an immigrant, language learning has been an essential skill for my success in transitioning from living in Mexico to the United States at a young age. Learning English is a process that is interminable in the warmest sense. As a child, I recall being mesmerized by the French language, and as I grew up, I'd buy language dictionaries and practice translation between the three languages. Eventually, I enrolled in French language courses, and after feeling some comfort with the language, I developed a newfound desire to learn more.

         I studied German for one semester and miserably failed to leave the A1 level; however, it was my first true challenge in jumping out of the Romance language tree. This semester, I took on the challenge of learning Italian, and what better place to do so than in Italy? Here, my desires changed from "I want to be able to help others feel understood" to "I need to make myself be understood by others around me as a sign of respect." 
         Language has opened many doors for me to meet wonderful people, and I firmly believe it helps bridge the gap between populations. If the goal of studying abroad is to become a global cosmopolitan, my journey has led me exactly to that, and, in a way, to connect the course curriculum to travel.