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Concentration: Social Studies
Class Year:  2012
Email Address: mespada@fas.harvard.edu

To watch a video about Maya Espada on study abroad key information click here

Before coming to Harvard, I always knew that I wanted to spend at least one semester or summer abroad during my college experience. However, once I matriculated, what was once set aside as a key component of my college timeline was quickly overshadowed by an increased commitment to extracurricular activities, potential internships, exciting courses, and close friendships. Although I still wanted to study abroad, everyday, the actual reality of me leaving the country during an academic term seemed more like a distant possibility than a feasible reality.

Luckily, it only took one trip to the OIP’s drop-in hours to bring me back to my original plan. It was as if flipping through the brochures at the OIP brought me a moment of clarity. Yes, Harvard is an amazing place with limitless opportunities, but what I had foolishly let myself forget is that studying abroad doesn´t necessarily mean missing out on the greatness of the “Harvard experience” in Cambridge. On the contrary, studying abroad is yet another available opportunity that Harvard students can (and should!) take advantage of in order to further enrich their 4 years of college.

My spring semester abroad in Chile has more than lived up to my expectations. Living independently in a new and exciting country, learning about the culture, great company, and not to mention snow-capped mountains and beautiful scenery. With that, what more could a student ask for? I’ll gladly tell you. In addition to experiencing all the amazing cultural aspects that are inherent in spending a semester abroad, my time with SAP Chile has also been a wonderful way to supplement my Social Studies-based curriculum at Harvard academically. Not only was I able to find classes at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile that were specifically tailored to my "Gender and Public Health in Latin America" focus field such as “Women and Society: Chile 19th and 20th Centuries” and “Intercultural Health”, but I also completed a term time internship with a local NGO, Vivo Positivo. Every Monday and Wednesday morning before my afternoon classes at La Católica, I went to Vivo Positivo to work with the Women's Department, a subdivision of the organization that deals primarily with the sexual and reproductive rights of individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Through my work with Vivo Positivo, I was able to surround myself with a staff committed to similar values, causes, and passions while working on projects that both interested and challenged me, all of which has been incredibly helpful in planning my senior thesis and my postgraduate plans.
I know I will cherish my time abroad far beyond my days at Harvard.

It’s an experience that is formative, invigorating, and everything in between, but most of all it is unforgettable. If I could give one piece of advice to those thinking about studying abroad, I would say “Just do it!” Everyone should go abroad so that they can begin to make their own memories."