Nice to meet you!

I thought I would start off my page with a little bit about me and what I'm doing here. My name is Emma and I grew up in Berkeley, California. Growing up, I was a bit risk-averse, but the summer before my junior year of high school, I decided to go to Guanajuato, Mexico with CIEE for one month to study Spanish. The experience opened my eyes and made me realize that going out of my comfort zone wasn't so bad. I saw that I would miss out if I didn't try new things. With this in mind, I decided to go to college across the country, in a state that I had never been to. I graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2023 with majors in film and elementary education and a minor in Spanish. During my time in college, I made life long connections and memories that I'll never forget. One thing I did not have the chance to do though, was study abroad. 

This brings me to my "why". I have always dreamed of living in another country for an extended period of time, but have never had the guts to pursue it. I want to channel 16 year old me and do something that feels scary. On this journey, I hope to improve my Spanish, try unique foods, embrace the Spanish culture, travel, strengthen my teaching practices, and make new friends.  Teaching English interests me as well, and I'd love to see if this is something I want to look for in a career. 

On this page I will share my experiences as a Language and Culture Assistant, along with my general pastimes living in Madrid. I can't wait to see what's next! Thanks for coming along :)