Shannon O'Connor '00

      When I entered Holy Cross in the summer of 1996, besides not knowing anyone in my freshman class, I also did not have any idea of what course of study I would follow. I knew that I enjoyed my Spanish classes in high school, but it didn't really cross my mind that Spanish would be the direction my coursework would take. I decided that since I didn't have any idea, I might as well take at least one class and see what happened from there. After taking Spanish 1 and enjoying everything about the class, (even the practicums!), I realized that language was my calling and decided to declare immediately. What followed was four wonderful years of being immersed in Spanish language and culture, which led me to concentrate in Latin American Studies and study abroad in Mallorca for a full year.

     Landing in Palma de Mallorca, Spain was much like my experience when first arriving on the Holy Cross campus. I knew no one, but yet, here in Palma, no one spoke English, which made it doubly frightening. My Spanish family picked me up at the airport and from that moment, my year in Spain began. I can honestly say that spending a year abroad helped shape me into the independent person I am today. From day one, I became immersed in the language and began to learn the nuances of living in a Spanish speaking European city. I took in everything from the cobblestone streets near the cathedral to the open-air street vendors in the Plaza de España to the pristine beaches along the Mediterranean coast. Every now and then I would look around and could not believe that I was given this opportunity and felt privileged!

      Life at the university was an added layer of culture and education with the full curriculum in Spanish. This was the first time in my life that speaking English actually drew attention to me, so soon enough, I found myself actually thinking in Spanish. When I came home mid-year for Christmas break, I actually had a hard time beginning sentences in English. I was told repeatedly that becoming fluent in a language was just something that happened. And for me, it did just happen and to this day, I am so grateful that it did.

     My life abroad instilled in me a love of culture and travel, which I carry with me today. Holy Cross provided me with an experience that has shaped who I am and motivates me to learn more about the world. To those who feel that time away from the campus will hurt their college experience, I would urge them to reconsider. My year away gave me an appreciation for the world that would never have been possible had I not lived independently in Spain. Today, I continue to expose myself to any aspects of Spanish and Latin American culture that I can find and I owe that appreciation to Holy Cross.