WHO AM I?
My name is Katie (or, in Central America, "Cat-ee"). I hail from Seattle originally, and I'm a junior at Duke University in studying Psychology and Child Policy Research.
I'm passionate about human rights, psychological research, and violence prevention.
Connect with me on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter!
I'm passionate about human rights, psychological research, and violence prevention.
Connect with me on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter!
WHAT AM I DOING HERE?
My study abroad program is run through Augsburg College's Center for Global Education and Experience. The specific program is called Social Change in Central America: Exploring Peace, Justice, and Community Engagement. I picked this program for its emphasis on ethical travel, social justice, and learning Spanish.
I am traveling with six other students and one fabulous facilitator. The seven of us students study at different universities, hail from different cities across the US and the world, and have different majors and interests.
In each country, we will be taking different classes, living with different host families, and trying to understand different aspects of Central American history and culture.
I will be taking four classes throughout the semester:
I am traveling with six other students and one fabulous facilitator. The seven of us students study at different universities, hail from different cities across the US and the world, and have different majors and interests.
In each country, we will be taking different classes, living with different host families, and trying to understand different aspects of Central American history and culture.
I will be taking four classes throughout the semester:
- SPANISH: Intermediate Spanish II at Casa Xelajú (Quetzaltenango, Guatemala)
- RELIGION: Latin American Liberation Theologies (San Jose, Costa Rica)
- POLITICAL SCIENCE: Citizen Participation within a Globalized Economy: A Nicaragua Case Study (Managua, Nicaragua)
- HISTORY: Cultural Conflict and Change in Latin America: The Central America Context (Managua, Nicaragua)
WHERE AM I GOING?
WHY THIS BLOG?
When I was planning my study abroad semester, I wanted to do as much research as possible before picking a program and shipping out. For some destinations, obtaining information was easy. Blogs about US Students in Western Europe are a dime a dozen. (This isn't to say that students going to Western Europe shouldn't keep a blog - everyone's experiences abroad are different! - rather it means that those students are lucky to already have a plethora of useful information at their fingertips).
Unfortunately, blogs about experiences studying in Latin America were much harder to find, and blogs about Central America were almost unheard of. (There are a few notable exceptions - I love this blog about a Texan's experience in Costa Rica, for example).
So I want this not only to be a place for me to document and share my experiences, but also as a resource for future students who want to study in non-traditional destinations like Central America.
I'm also writing this because I just love to write, especially for the web. It's one of my many passions. I plan to update with posts or photos at least once a week - hopefully more!
Unfortunately, blogs about experiences studying in Latin America were much harder to find, and blogs about Central America were almost unheard of. (There are a few notable exceptions - I love this blog about a Texan's experience in Costa Rica, for example).
So I want this not only to be a place for me to document and share my experiences, but also as a resource for future students who want to study in non-traditional destinations like Central America.
I'm also writing this because I just love to write, especially for the web. It's one of my many passions. I plan to update with posts or photos at least once a week - hopefully more!
BUT WHAT'S WITH THE NAME?
Many Spanish speakers use the expression ¿Qué tal? (pronounced "Kay-Tall") as a way of asking "What's up?" or "How's it going?" Also, it kind of sounds like my name.
DO YOUR TRAVELING COMPANIONS HAVE BLOGS?
Yes! Many of my friends here DO have blogs. And they're awesome. Check them out here:
- Leah: Leah in Central America
- Rachel: Finding My Corners
- Amanda: Amanda Away
- Amber: Finding Blank
- Zach doesn't have a blog, per se, but you can check out his brand and his music here!