What country have you always wanted to visit?
Ashley: I have always wanted to visit New Zealand. In a country that is roughly the size of California, there seems to be no lack of fun activities to do- outdoors and in.
A coworker, who visited New Zealand during her study abroad experience with IFSA-Butler in Australia, once told me she stood next to a mountain range, a lake, waterfalls, and glaciers all in the same place. Her stories of the North Island, and the black sand beaches, sounds like an experience I shouldn’t miss out on! Not to mention, I would love to go waterskiing, sea kayaking, sailing, and hiking.
Why is language learning and cultural immersion important to you?
Ashley: Language Learning and cultural immersion are the best tools for us to “get to know” one another around the world. While I was in Peru with IFSA-Butler, I had many opportunities to practice Spanish and immerse myself in the local culture.
As a result, I was able to have conversations with locals who didn’t speak my native language- an aspect of the culture that can be extremely difficult to explore without knowing a second language.
By the end of the semester, I truly felt Peruvian. I can honestly say my experience on the program (volunteering and studying with locals) was imperative to my linguistic development in Spanish, and a lot of fun too!