Name: Isabel Salas
Year at UNL: 5th year senior
Majors: Global Studies, Political Science, and Women's and Gender Studies
Minor: Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs
Hometown: Lexington, Nebraska
Favorite book: I just finished The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri and I could not put it down once I started. It is such a good book and examines how the immigrant and first generation American experience and identity shifts and changes. Plus, Lahiri's writing is so beautiful and melancholy that I immediately fell in love with her writing. As the daughter of Mexican immigrants, I definitely identified and saw my family's identity replicated, despite the fact that the book is centered around an Indian couple and their American-born children.
Favorite food: I love food so I can't say that I have one favorite dish. However, I did have one dish that I absolutely loved while staying with a host family in Japan for a weekend during my internship. My host mother cooked Sukiyaki, which is a combination of thinly sliced beef, vegetables, and tofu simmered at the table in a pot. Everyone at the table has a small bowl with a raw egg, and the way you eat this is by picking up the food from the pot, dipping it in the raw egg, and then eating it. This was one of my favorite meals in Japan because food was super warm and flavorful -- it was made even more delicious because I was in good company and had good conversation too!
Why Global Studies?: I chose Global Studies after I had already decided on my two other majors (Political Science and WGS) because I wanted to add a more global perspective to the way that my other majors overlapped. I am very interested in the status of women, whether it's through examination of the ways women are educated, participate in politics, and adding the global component to this is very important to me. Through Global Studies, I am able to narrow my interests down even more and focus on this specifically while also broadening my understanding of the world and other cultures.
Internship abroad experience: This past spring I was an intern at Senshu Matsudo Junior High School in Matsudo, Japan, just outside of Tokyo. This was completely different from my two week study abroad program to Turkey in the summer of 2015 mostly because the Turkey experience was very brief and included 15 other peers that I got to bond and explore with. The Senmatsu internship was vastly different in that I was navigating the entire experience by myself or with the other intern. Essentially I learned a lot about myself and my independence, got to explore and genuinely live in Japan and, most of all, fell in love with Senmatsu. The students were all sweet and driven and the element of teamwork in Japan schools is something that I believe we should strive to incorporate in our own system in the U.S. While I was there, I also got to travel a bit -- first to Kyoto with my fellow intern and then to the mountainside near Mt. Fuji (which is absolutely gorgeous up close) with the incoming 7th graders for a weekend retreat. The Senmatsu experience has been one of the best parts of my college career because I learned so much about navigating a completely foreign country and teaching abroad while being a part of such a supportive and kind school.
Post-graduation plans: My post-graduation plans are up in the air as of now -- I am applying to a couple of programs to teach abroad but ultimately my future plan is to go to law school and get my J.D. I have a multitude of things that I am interested in -- women's equality, immigrant and refugee communities, etc.-- but I am just trying to get through this school year and leaving my options wide open for whatever opportunities may come my way.
Interested in Isabel's internship opportunity, visit http://go.unl.edu/atmh
About the Internship: The UNL-Senshu University Matsudo Junior High School Internship was established in 2002 as an opportunity for Japanese students to be exposed to native-English speakers and to develp the Senshu-UNL relationship. Two interns each term experience work-life in a Japanese school and office within the junior high school English Oral Communications (OC) program. Interns interact with students and staff in English, prepare and develop materials for lessons, assist 8th and 9th grade OC classes, and participate in school events including class trips and school festivals.
In addition, Japanese language lessons and Japanese caligraphy lessons are offered as part of the interns' weekly schedule. Senmatsu also sponsors a one week excursion to Kyoto where interns can explore the historically and culturally rich ancient capital of Japan.
Travel arrangements to Japan are made by the accepted internship participants. Upon arrival and submission of receipt of airfare, full cash reimbursement in Japanese yen will follow.
Each intern is provided with a fully-furnished, single-occupancy apartment located a short walk from the school campus in Matsudo City. A budget for food and personal expenses during the internship of at least $3,000 is recommended.
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/atmh