JUNIOR LEARNS ABOUT SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE IN CHILE

This summer, junior Laura Jankowski, went to Chile to study abroad. For eight weeks she lived in Viña Del Mar, Chile and learned about the Spanish language, culture and school lifestyle. During the trip, she was able to immerse herself in the culture and discover new perspectives of life outside of the classroom.

Although Viña Del Mar and Palos Verdes have clear differences, such as the language and basic culture, Jankowski discovered that they share many similarities as well.

“It was a pretty affluent area,” Jankowski said. “[There were] a lot of similar geographical features such as the bluffs and the coves. The people were friendly and there were less cliques than there are here.”

Jankowski explained that this trip was a way for her to strengthen her Spanish, which has helped her in her Spanish studies at school.

     “Laura is a good student,” Spanish teacher Juan Zambrano said. “She is always contributing to class. She is always able to share her experiences or what she knows about the culture and the language.”

      Jankowski not only learned more Spanish, but she also learned how to be more independent, as she experienced the freedom of living on her own during the trip. Like Jankowski, sophomore Nicole Tang studied abroad in Spain and relates to Jankowski’s experiences.

“I learned how to be more independent because I was in a Spanish class all alone,” Tang said.

Traveling to Chile gave Jankowski the opportunity to experience the Spanish culture from a first-hand aspect, and not just in the classroom. Learning about the Spanish culture helped her relate more in Spanish class and better understand the language and culture behind it.

“With the experience in Chile, Laura is able to go above and beyond in class,” Zambrano said. “I am always surprised at her skill in the language and I think she can relate it to her trip.”