Teaching English to Children In Columbia

Unlike many college kids I will not be spending my summer on the beach, nor will I be making money at a lucrative internship for a Fortune 500 Company. Instead, I will spend my summer teaching English to children in a low-income community in Columbia. I have already shown my organization that I am motivated to teach abroad and now I plan to show you why I’m motivated and why you should fund me.

My name is Erin and living and volunteering abroad is nothing but familiar to me. I am a U.S. Citizen who hadn’t lived in the U.S. until I was accepted into The University Notre Dame where I am a rising Junior.I was born in Puerto Rico, then moved to Venezuela, and finally, found my home in Costa Rica, the place I have grown up in for the last 17 years. I lived in Spanish speaking environments from the day I was born and as a result, I have also been exposed to impoverished communities. From a young age in Costa Rica, I have seen the impact that volunteers can make and devoted much of my time in Middle School and High School to help these communities.

By having local Columbians learn from someone who is both fluent in English and Spanish, I can be crucial in helping them acquire a language that has become so important in the global workforce. Like most 21-year-olds, I can't say I have my life completely figured out. But what I've always known is that I wanted to use my ability to speak multiple languages for good, specifically by giving back in either teaching or in medicine. After college, I plan to Teach English in the Peace Corps and then go on to working as a medical translator before attending nursing school. I have a long life planned with various activities, but it all starts with this summer.

I want to spend my summer helping others, using my skills to give back to others, and this is the way I believe I should do it. With my background growing up in Latin American countries and my fluency in both Spanish and English, I believe I am one of the people best equipped for the job.