Kristen Sikorsky
Year: Senior
Destination: Mexico
Hometown: Roselle Park, N.J.
Major: Spanish
Spanish in Mexico
Kristen Sikorsky had always wanted to travel, especially to a Spanish-speaking country. Her goal in studying abroad was to help improve her academic Spanish and the fluidity in everyday conversation. She studied in Cuernavaca, Mexico through a VCU faculty-led program that allowed her to take 400-level Spanish classes.
Kristen stayed with a host family in a condominium about 10 minutes from her school.
“My host mother was incredible,” she said. “She was kind, friendly and offered advice so that I could explore the city on my own.”
Kristen took two Spanish 491 classes: MÉxico Hoy, a sociology class about current issues in Mexico, and Cuentos Latinoamericanos, a literature class. Her literature professor was also a writer, so she read his book of short stories while in Mexico.
Passion for travel
Kristen traveled with the group several times to Mexico, D.F., Taxco, Puebla and Acapulco. Independently, she spent her free weekend in Oaxaca City with a classmate. Later in the summer, she traveled on her own to Morocco and Spain for vacation, mostly because she loved being abroad so much and she wasn’t ready to return home. She said her experience has changed her future plans, and she now wants to move to Spain or Germany when she graduates.
“I have found my passion in life to be language and travel,” she said.
“I have found my passion in life to be language and travel.”
Network
Kristen also made professional connections while abroad.
“I met so many people that I became friends with,” she said. “Everyone was interested in talking and most people were extremely friendly. My Spanish is far from perfect, but people were patient and allowed me to take my time to talk with them. I made friends in Cuernavaca, D.F. and in the hostel in Oaxaca.”
She also, made friends with a group of breakdancers in Cuernavacas zocalo. Aside from being very skilled dancers, they got to know one another and learn about each other’s lives and views of Mexican society versus American culture.
Kristen’s most memorable experience was standing atop the Temple of the Moon at Teotihuacan.
“This was a life goal of mine,” she said. “It was a breathtaking view.”
In the future, she would like to live in D.F. and is interested in learning more about Mexican literature and pre-Columbian cultures.
