CIEE Latin America Fellow Spotlight: Naomi Kramer
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Meet the CIEE Leading Change in Latin America Student Fellows!
Follow along as CIEE sends 100 student leaders on a fully-funded semester abroad through the CIEE Leading Change in Latin America Fellowship. In this series, we spotlight Fellows as they immerse themselves in Latin American culture, grow as leaders, and prepare to make an impact worldwide.
Name: Naomi Kramer
School: University of Florida
LATAM Location: Monteverde, Costa Rica
Q1: What does receiving this Fellowship mean to you personally?
This fellowship means so much to me. For one thing, it gives me the financial freedom to pursue my dream of studying abroad and trying new things. Furthermore, it gives me the ability to share my love for traveling and my love for Latin America and Costa Rica in particular. I have always enjoyed posting about the places I go, and so immediately upon hearing about the fellowship I knew it would be the perfect opportunity for me. The fact that I received it is so validating and exciting.
Watch here: Naomi shows us Costa Rica's natural beauty
Q2: How does your personal background or identity shape your interest in Latin America?
Much of my personal background has shaped my interest in Latin America. With my family, I have traveled to Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. These are some of my favorite trips I’ve been on, and I’ve always felt like Latin America is special in its welcoming, exciting culture. Furthermore, taking Spanish classes all through high school has given me an understanding and appreciation for the language.
Q3: What excites you most about studying abroad in Latin America?
I am most excited to be immersed in Latin American culture in a way that I haven’t in any of my previous trips there. Getting to live there for 12 weeks will be an invaluable experience, and I am so excited to learn and grow through all of my experiences. I have never been immersed in any cultures beyond my own, so what excites me most about studying abroad is being able to change that, and change my perspective on the world.
Q4: What local foods are you excited to try?
Although it isn’t a food, what I am most excited to try in Costa Rica is the coffee. Coffee is a staple in my daily life. Costa Rica is well-known for their high-quality coffee, and so getting to try coffees there is extremely exciting to me. I’ve also heard about coffee tours, where you can see the entire process of making coffee and get to do it yourself, so I definitely would love to try that.
Watch here: Naomi gives us a tour of the CIEE Monteverde center
Q5: What parting advice do you have for other students who want to apply for this opportunity for spring 2026?
Do it! Studying abroad seems daunting at first, and it can seem like applying for extra fellowships and scholarships is just too much. But really, just doing the work can lead to great opportunities! Beyond ‘just do it,’ further advice I have would be to really let your personality and passions shine in your application. Letting people see your true personality can give you a step up, in my opinion. Good luck!
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