To those that raise their eyebrows in disbelief when I tell them my major, I would like to dedicate this short essay and explain my reasonings. I grew up in a family with privileges I never really understood. I spoke English as my first (and only) language. I didn’t understand what a difficult language I was speaking without truly having to work for it as others do. As a young adult, I had the opportunity to serve a mission for my church and learn Spanish in the process. I met people from all over the world, from Africa to Colombia and Honduras to Myanmar. With each person I met, I learned a bit more about the world. As I returned home and returned to college, I took a class on Latin American studies out of curiosity. I love it. I learned so much about culture and how closely it ties to the language we use in different regions. We learned to ask questions about why things are the way they are today and to consider the viewpoints of others. I wrote papers on the Taíno of Puerto Rico and the conditions in Puerto Rico today as a U.S. territory (which are abysmal and reflect poorly on our country) as well as on the Guaraní of Paraguay where I learned a small part of their mythology. In my research for both pieces, I learned about the impact the colonizers had on these indigenous nations. In many ways, we still see the effects of their actions today. They don’t only appear in the etymology of words and phrases used today in both Spanish and English, but also in the very fabric of our society. Winston Churchill famously paraphrased “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it,” originally said by George Santayana. I would add that not only are we doomed to repeat what we do not learn from, but are also therefore condemned to perpetuate past mistakes, false ideologies, and epistemological hierarchies (Western epistemologies are in no way “superior” to any other). As part of a Spanish class I took the following semester, we listened to the words of Boaventura de Sousa Santos, Silvia Rivera Cusicanqui, Ramón Grosfoguel, Estercilia Simanca Pushaina, and more. In a discussion on transculturality, Ramón Grosfoguel, a Puerto Rican sociologist and professor, used examples of how hierarchies and racism are engrained in our society at a level that, while individuals may not be considered racists, the institutions around them enforce racist ideals. The importance of cultural and ethnic studies is that they provide us with a way to learn from those with different backgrounds and therefore expand our own viewpoints. As we expand our perspectives and are able to understand others better, we ourselves can become better. I have seen this in myself, which is how I know it’s true. I have always considered myself open-minded but have also seen within the last couple of years how I had my own prejudices that were taught to me by my parents. If we as individuals are able to understand the importance of differences that make cultures so vibrant and then share this understanding and knowledge with others, we can create a more inviting country and resolve many of the “problems” we face as a country including (but not limited to) racism and immigration debates.

The most recent example of practicing bravery for me was approaching my bosses and requesting that they consider giving me a pay raise. I work in what could still be considered a start-up business in the front office, which means I have a lot of responsibilities. Accounts payable, accounts receivable, marketing, customer service, design, you name it, I probably have done something for it. I am a very introverted person and don’t like to rock boats, but I think learning to speak up for myself was the right move and while I likely could have bartered for a little more of a raise than what I was given, I was proud of myself for taking the initiative, knowing that if I didn’t, no one else was going to do it for me. This exemplifies a courage I have been able to develop over the course of my lifetime as well as time spent in this company.

In junior high, my Spanish teacher was a grumpy old man on the best of days. Considering half of the class spoke Spanish already and just took the class for credit, and the rest of us had no clue what was going on, it was a difficult class. I can’t say I learned much from him. I decided not to take the next level the following year. Ninth grade came and I decided to take the class again to then continue with the next class in high school. Two years of Spanish and I could tell you the names of objects in a classroom and respond to basic greetings. I really hadn’t learned anything. In high school when I took Spanish 2, the teacher had a passion for what he did. There was such a difference. He encouraged us to learn by reading simple stories and listening to songs by popular artists in Spanish as well as the occasional funny video with a catchy tune that got stuck in your head. At this point, however, I still wouldn’t say that my world had truly changed. It wasn’t for a few more years when I applied to be a missionary for my church when I was assigned to serve in an area that included learning Spanish! I went to a training center and during a few weeks, we spent hours every day learning grammar, vocabulary, and simple sentences that would be able to help us in different aspects of our lives. The next year and a half of my life was spent learning more Spanish by experience and self-guided study. I met people and focused my studies on how I could help them and what principles I needed to be able to communicate with the wonderful people around me. Learning Spanish even helped my ability to communicate with a Portuguese-speaker I met! The time passed and I returned home. I learned to love the Spanish-speaking people I met during this time and even more the language interlaced with a culture I had been so completely unfamiliar with just a short time before. Learning Spanish opened so many doors for me including a job just a few short weeks after getting home when I wasn’t even looking! I was able to practice my Spanish daily at this job as some of my coworkers were from different parts of Mexico. Learning Spanish influenced my major. For years I had loose plans to study art or art history in college but was simply working on my general education courses. I took a Latin American studies class because it sounded interesting, and I wanted to learn more about the history and culture of these countries. After class one day I was driving to work, reflecting on the conversation of class that day when I had the simple thought that I could pursue Latin American studies as a major. This thought quickly expanded and took over my mind and heart. The idea that I had discovered my major nearly brought me to tears. I had struggled for so long trying to figure out what I would do with my life and here it was in front of me. I set up a meeting with one of the college’s academic counselors and we drew up a plan for my degree, since it wasn’t one offered at the school, with all the classes I would be taking to achieve this goal including Spanish, history courses for Latin American countries, and Portuguese! Learning a new language didn’t simply change my life, it gave my life purpose and direction.

For me, my favorite pieces of art are those that make us consider the world around us. One piece that stands out in my mind is Norman Rockwell titled, “Lift Up Thine Eyes.” Painted in 1957, it makes a statement of how everyone is so busy looking down at the ground in front of them that they miss the message right in front of them as they pass by the church. It reminds me of a quote from “The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles” written by Julie Andrews Edwards, “Have you noticed how nobody ever looks up? Nobody looks at chimneys, or trees against the sky, or the tops of buildings. Everybody just looks down at the pavement or their shoes. The whole world could pass them by and most people wouldn't notice.” You could add to this quote today by saying people are so consumed by social media that they miss so many things around them. At times, even recording the goings-on without truly being present in the moment. Artwork, to me, is about touching individuals. Whether it be awe, inspiration, controversy, or any other emotion. That is why this piece grabbed my attention so poignantly. I saw it in a museum about five years ago and have thought about it ever since.

Everyone experiences hard times in their lives. No one is exempt. Overall, I know I have experienced times that are less difficult than what others have gone through, however, that makes my own experiences no less valid. You may not relate to my story, but I am sure there are parallels that can be drawn. Ever since childhood, I have known that I wanted to serve a mission for my church. It was exciting for me when the age changed for when missionaries could serve from 21 to 19. When I was in junior high school, I had a countdown on my phone until my 19th birthday, the time when I could officially submit papers to serve. Around October of 2018 I was allowed to begin the process of filling out paperwork for it. This was a goal I had my entire life. It was finally going to happen! I had a couple of doctor appointments because I noticed a sensitivity to eating gluten. It wasn’t really a big deal, but the doctors wanted to run a few more tests & I wasn’t going to be able to submit my papers until after the next appointment. Then there was another appointment after that. Some more tests. I was diagnosed with an inflammatory disease. I had to prove that we could treat it before submitting my papers. I was getting discouraged. How could a goal I had worked so hard for suddenly be so out of reach? I knew serving a mission was a positive thing and had the faith that all would work out. In the end, it did! I know if I had an easy time getting my papers submitted, there are many people I never would have met that have had such an important impact on my life.

The event that changed my perspective more than anything else would be the time I spent in Kentucky and Indiana as a missionary for my church, learning Spanish. The time I spent with those who speak Spanish from countries all over truly taught me to appreciate the many blessings I have in my life. I saw the dedication these people have shown to their dreams and to their families as they live hundreds of miles away from their loved ones. I grew to appreciate that speaking a language—whether it be English, Spanish, or some other language—isn't just about learning a set of vocabulary and grammar rules. I came to understand the culture behind words and phrases, the way history has shaped meaning, and the influence of an ever-changing world in linguistics. This not only changed how I interact with those around me but changed the direction of my studies since returning home. I was uncertain in my educational goals until realizing that I could pursue an education, learning more about the culture that I fell in love with as well as creating opportunities for myself to share what I learn with others.