As a child in Cuba, I would sit in front of my television and watch cartoons from Soviet times. Although I could not understand the Russian-spoken animations, they were an escape from reality. Those moments served as my first experience with the Russian language and broadened my perspective of the world. As a result, I became interested in how language shapes people’s worldviews. I knew that one day, I could explore and experience new ways of thinking, cultures, and traditions.  

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When I was twelve years old, my mom and I moved from Cuba to Spain to pursue a better future. After arriving in Spain, I realized I previously lived in a bubble. Although Spanish was my native language, I had to culturally and linguistically adapt to my new environment. I quickly realized that language is a powerful tool capable of changing one's entire perception of the world around them. At sixteen, I moved to Florida. At the time, my knowledge of English was minimal, but once I arrived, I was immersed in an English-dominant setting. For me, as it is for many around the world, language learning is often not a choice but a necessity. My dream was to attend college, and I studied English endlessly to overcome the initial language barrier. 

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After attending community college, I enrolled at the University of Florida (UF), to pursue a bachelor's degree in linguistics and Russian as well as a Russian-English Translations Studies certificate. When I noticed that Russian was offered in the curriculum, I did not hesitate to register for Russian language courses. As I registered for my first Russian language course, this life-altering choice was validated by all the childhood memories rushing in. I knew it was going to be challenging because learning a language online, especially Russian, is not ideal. I describe my Russian learning progress as a roller-coaster ride since Russian is a complex language that has verbs of motion and an intricate case system.  As I start my fourth semester of Russian, I feel as passionate as the first day of class. I have always wanted to communicate with Russian speakers in their native language and learn more about their culture and traditions. One of my Russian professors, always says Повторение мать учения (repetition is the mother of learning), and I couldn’t agree more; immersion is key. 

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As a result of my Russian studies, I received the Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship (summer 2022, 2022-2023 academic year), where I studied in the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies  Intensive Russian Program at the University of Indiana-Bloomington. 

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My Linguistics and Russian major brought new levels to language that I had not considered before. It gave me the tools to analyze foreign languages at a deeper level. The solid reasoning and science behind the way we communicate enhanced my understanding of my languages. I have enjoyed actively learning about Morphology, Syntax, Semantics, Pragmatics, Phonology, Phonetics, and especially Morphology. Within the subfields of linguistics, I enjoyed learning about psycholinguistics, second language acquisition, and language documentation. Working at the Brain, Language, and Bilingualism Lab (BLaB) on numerous experimental projects allowed me to apply my linguistics and social networks science knowledge to understand the psycholinguistic underpinnings of language processing. 

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As an International Scholar, I learned more about other people's cultures and how to be a more conscious global citizen. I sought new opportunities, such as being a conversation partner for the English Language Institute (UF), and a Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian tutor for second language (L2) learners at the Language Studio (UF). I shared my experiences of learning languages, observed bilingualism in real life, and fostered my understanding of the linguistic environment of bilingual language use. Additionally, I became president of the Undergraduate Linguistics Society (ULS). As the president of ULS, I created a platform for students and professors to interact, collaborate, and help one another while increasing club membership. This organization strives to create a community that provides open discussions about bilingualism and the importance of linguistic diversity. 

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As a first-generation student, and as an underrepresented minority in science, delving into the field of research is challenging. As a McNair scholar, my college career has been successful thanks to a great support system of individuals who guide and help me navigate higher education. In BLaB, I connected with other minority students making it easier to share my story of academic path as a first-generation student. Being able to represent the Hispanic community is a drive to my learning since I want to contribute to mitigating the misconceptions about bilingualism via research. Specifically, I want to shed light on the nuanced relationship between bi/multilingual language use and changes in bilinguals’ social networks. Upon completing my B.A., I intend to start my Ph.D. in linguistics. My goal is to create a dialogue between linguistic researchers and the general population to address the importance of language diversity and bilingualism. As a minority linguistics researcher, I would like my research, teaching, and academic service to inspire future students of color to pursue a career in academia.

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