Le Anne

My name is LeAnne and I am a second year Education major. Coming from a Hispanic dominant neighborhood in San Jose, California, Spanish has always been a language that I hope to one-day speak proficiently. My interest in learning Spanish is the reason why I am excited to explore different Spanish-speaking countries such as Costa Rica. Growing up, I had the opportunity to experience Spanish culture through an event called the Downtown San Jose Latin Jazz Festival. This festival was dear to my heart and has impacted the way I view the community I live in because it allowed me to see the community through the lens of immigrant families who have struggled, like my family, making a living here in a foreign country. In addition, this festival is where my interest in global sustainability illuminated. A paper weaving vendor caught my attention at the festival and ignited my interest in upcycling. Upcycling is the process of converting discarded materials into something of higher value. From this encounter, I was able to discover new ways of living more global sustainable and it fostered my interest in participating in this program in order to break out of my culture container and integrate myself into a new culture.