The Service Learning/Internship Advantage - Making the Most of Study Abroad

While in Mexico I took casses in Mexican culture, current affairs, the relationship between the United States and Mexico, Spanish, Mayan civilization, and two opportunities to complete service learning for internship, while living with a Mexican family. It was the service learning and internship opportunities that took my study abroad experience to a unique level that exposed me to more than what was available just by taking classes. My internship was completed at Sol y Luna, a non-profit therapeutic facility for young children with severe and profound intellectual and physical disabilities. Being a psychology major at my home institution, with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis of developmental disabilities, my participation at Sol y Luna allowed me to not only gain a deeper immersion into a part of Mexican culture, but also make connections between the practices and approaches offered in Mexico compared to the United States. My passions for this population were deepened and I became more aware of what my future work could look like. My time at Sol y Luna did by no means come without challenges. I was not only forced to operate using my non-native language, but I was exposed to a lot of things with little training or warning. The situations in which I was stretched and given a great deal of responsibility are the times I saw my real passion for the people I was working with, and the points at which my skill set was advanced, and my confidence soon followed. Without the opportunity to participate in Service Learning while abroad, I would not have been transformed into the psychology student or individual that I am now. My second service learning opportunity came at La Academía de Inglés (The English Academy) which was located in downtown Mérida and served to teach Mexican students (from a wide range of ages) English skills. English allows the people in Mérida to access better jobs and opportunities. My students’ families were making constant sacrifices so the students would be able to become proficient in the English language. I was exposed to the hardworking and diligent character of the Mexican people. My service at La Academía made me reflect on my own education, American culture, my Spanish skills, the English language, and teaching methods. Working with my students I was able to gain a deeper understanding of different Mexican cultural practices as well as answer questions and provide insight to the American way of life. Service learning is one of the main components of what made my time in Mexico more informative, more interactive, and more insightful. Using my time and talents to serve the people of Mexico made me less of a tourist – not someone who was just “passing through” – but instead an individual that was deeply invested in the culture and the people I was living around for this semester. I gained exposure to things in Mérida, formed relationships, and developed skills that would have not emerged had I not sought a program that offered service learning. I picked Central's study abroad program because of the service learning/internship component and would now highly recommend this program because of the ways I benefitted from the opportunities and exposure while in Mexico!