Prior to attending college, I felt as though I was competent in my Spanish studies and was learning a higher level of Spanish than many of my peers, but my cultural knowledge and understanding of diversity was low. I grew up in a suburb outside of Milwaukee, WI with very few individuals that were not of the white race. Coming to college caused a bit of a culture shock for me as I was not used to being surrounded by so many different cultures, races, and ethnicities. Although this was a bit uncomfortable and unfamiliar for me, it was a good experience and allowed the opportunity for me to grow in the global citizenship competency through my involvement in the Honors Program.

           Since I was younger, I have always been interested in understanding other cultures and learned the Spanish language since 2nd grade. This mentality continued throughout college as I took a couple of Spanish courses: SPAN102 and SPAN201. One of my notable projects in Spanish 102 included my final project in which I researched the culture of Costa Rica and created a presentation entirely in Spanish to educate others on what I had discovered about the country (Spanish Language Learning). This project was completed my freshman year of college and helped to build my knowledge and understanding of other cultures. In addition, I was able to compare their culture to the culture in the United States. Another way I started to learn about culture and develop a better understanding of global citizenship was through Honors 201 as we watched a TED Talk regarding culture and I also created an identity chart to understand who I am as a person (HONR201). During my sophomore year of college, I took Spanish 201 and the most notable experience was having the opportunity to video chat with students at a college in Mexico (Spanish Language Learning). Most of the students I talked to said they also have learned English since they were young which helps to bridge that gap in culture. There are major differences in culture that were discussed such as Cinco de Mayo being an Americanized holiday, or the tacos that we think of here in the United States being much different than those from Mexico.

           While taking Spanish courses, I was grateful to have been a part of Language Partners (Language Partners Program). Through this program I was able to connect with international students, both helping them improve their English as well as learn about their culture and past experiences. The student who I connected with most closely was Woosek, who was an international student from South Korea. When talking with him, I tried to keep an open mind and avoided having bias. He talked about the way relationships are perceived in his home country, which is very different from the United States. Relationships here, whether with friends, family, or significant others are very open and it is acceptable to do things such as kissing or hugging in public. I thought that this was fascinating and it made me further think about the culture within American society. Another opportunity I had was to be on the executive board for Spanish Club (Spanish Language Learning). Through this organization, I was able to connect with other students who are passionate about learning Spanish culture. I had the opportunity to speak with Jose, who was a Native Spanish speaker. He was so understanding of me and my learning process and provided me with great feedback for improvement.

             Although my experiences related to my Spanish courses provided me with an increased knowledge of the language and culture in Spanish-speaking countries, I also learned a lot from my real-world experiences as both a Learning Community Coordinator (HONR455 Practicum) and as a Clinical Assistant at Mankato Clinic (Mankato Clinic). At Mankato Clinic, I learned to frequently interact with patients needing interpreters to increase the quality of communication between the patient and the provider. It is vital that an interpreter is used whenever possible as it ensures that information is not being interpreted incorrectly due to the language barrier. In addition, I was able to learn about cultural beliefs and rituals as I prepared patients for radiologic exams. Some women were not able to take off their headdress or would ask to keep on their long pants due to cultural or religious reasons. As a LCC I was exposed to several different cultures through my students (HONR455 Practicum). In addition, with so many international students at MSU, Mankato I was able to compare the traditions of those students to those from Pewaukee, WI where I am from. I hosted an event with my students where I held multiple activities to increase awareness of diversity and explore each individuals’ differences. This was beneficial to all of us as we were able to learn more about each other as well as each other’s traditions and norms.

            In my future career as a nurse, I hope to perform culturally competent care and be aware of the cultures of the patients for whom I am caring. In addition, I hope to be able to use my knowledge of the Spanish language with Spanish-speaking patients to provide quality care. Lastly, I will advocate for an interpreter to be provided for these patients outside of their family to accurately provide information and exclude possible bias. As a nurse, it is important to provide quality care for all patients and advocate for their needs, while being understanding of their differing values and beliefs. My experiences in the Honors Program have helped to shape my cultural awareness and build upon the global citizenship competency.