Canela

Shelby Schmersal (author of this post) in the south of Spain, a little city called Salobreña.

“Canela” is the Spanish word for cinnamon. Now this seems simple when you read it, but when you’re in a cafe with a friend who speaks fluent Spanish and you aren’t quite there yet, everything seems more complicated. After four months of studying abroad in Spain, I learned how to overcome that language barrier. Patience and passion to learn. Now, I can’t wait to share my passion by teaching students the importance of communication in another language. And I never would have learned the value of communication in Spanish without the constant support of my university, Bowling Green State University.

I’m studying to become a Spanish teacher, and my school requires all World Language Education majors to study abroad for at least one semester. To be honest, I was pretty hesitant when I found out I had to study abroad. No one in my family, including myself, had ever left the country before, but BGSU was there to help me every step of the way. Although I’m back in the United States, I now have a lifelong friend in Spain because I was willing to learn. I made a lot of really great friends while in Spain and drastically improved my Spanish.

Before I went to Spain, everyone told me it was impossible to become fluent in a language without immersing yourself in the culture. I would always nod and agree, but I never really got what they were saying until I went to Spain myself. If I hadn’t studied abroad, there’s no way that I would have obtained the language skills necessary to teach it. BGSU’s requirement to study abroad, not only gave me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity but also, gave me the confidence and skills I needed to teach the language effectively.

Every Education professor at Bowling Green is genuinely concerned about producing good teachers, and it is for this reason that I decided to be a teacher. We all want to work together to push the next generation to be the best that they can be. It’s because of BGSU that I know I can have an impact on the world. The program taught me that the individuality of every student is significant. Because I’m an individual, I can contribute something unique and worthwhile in my career.

Canela, the Spanish word for cinnamon, is a word I will never forget. It will always remind me of my time in Spain and all that I learned there. I am now well on my way to becoming a teacher. I’m ready to step out into the world. And it’s all thanks to BGSU.

This scholarship is sponsored by CenturyLinkQuote.com.