I am incredibly grateful for my time and experiences at the University of Florida. In my first semester, I was very scared. Being the first in my family to go to college came with several obstacles. I recall the 1st friend I made in college. She introduced me to several clubs and events. Luckily for me, I stumbled into a job at the ELI. There, I gained confidence, work experiences, and an international perspective. I never expected to major in Linguistics, but because of my life experiences, I knew I had to. The professional networks I made at UF are vast! In the Linguistics department, I have professors who are so invested and committed to my development. For me, college has been a place of exploration, experimentation, and sheer curiosity. I joined the International Scholars Program because I wanted to put as many efforts that I was putting into my country because that is how we much towards solidarity and understanding. I can't and will never forget the laughter, smiles, tears, and happy moments that I shared with everyone on this journey to being a global citizen. I have no other words to say besides immense gratitude! Merci anpil, asante sana, muchos gracias, arigatou gozaimasu , and thank you very much! 

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Through my travels to Japan, Mexico, Cuba, Italy, and Turkey, I learned about cultural awareness and acceptance. Although these places have been for vacation, they helped shaped me into a global leader. These experiences gravitated me towards a major in Linguistics. Also, being adaptable and receptive to new ideas gave me insight into my own life. I mastered new ways of showing allyship and mutual respect. Each place has different customs and traditions, so going to a situation with no expectations allows me to appreciate so much more. For example, in Japan, it is frowned upon to eat and walk at the same time. People sit somewhere to eat and drink. Using that mindset made me appreciate the food so much more. I learned patience and better mindful techniques. 

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When I look back to the start of my academic career, I did not know that I would be here, and for that, I have held on to each and the meaningful roads I have taken. Now, I see myself as a bridge-builder. Traveling and learning from those travels allowed me to self-reflect. I turned those self-reflections to lesson, and I have taught these lessons to my friends and family so they can gain a better cultural understanding and awareness.

 

Next, my plan is to study Linguistic Anthropology. I want to contribute research, teaching materials, and resources to this growing field through my graduate studies. After graduate school, I plan on teaching and doing research in West Africa and the Caribbean.