One AWESOME experiential education moment I had was when I did an exchange program in high school. I hosted a Spanish student, Isabel Nombela, for three weeks and then I went to Spain and lived with her family for three weeks. I have studied Spanish for at least six years in the educational system and I can honestly say that if I had not gone to Spain I would not have passed any of my college Spanish courses. So the acquisition of knowledge was my Spanish classes. Transfer of knowledge confuses me but I guess the best transfer would be learning to approach language differently (thinking critically about the meanings behind words). Certain words I learned in spanish class at school were deemed old fashioned or even inappropriate for Toledo’s type of Spanish. This helped me approach language theorists better in my upper level communication arts theory courses. The application of knowledge was functioning and getting around in Spain. Her family did not speak English at all and I met ALL of her family so I forced myself to listen and focus more than my brain was used to. Finally I could sit in a room and watch a big conversation happen and actually understand it. I couldn’t always participate in a big group, but one time I caught Isabel’s friends talking about other Americans in Spanish and they thought I couldn’t understand and I said “Ella es muy simpatica”/ “She is really nice” about my friend they were talking about. This is where my desire stems from to learn multiple Asian languages and go to nail salons and see what they say about customers. But if that is someone’s sole motivation to learn a language that is very sad. Eavesdropping should never be a goal. My goal really was to understand what her and her friends were like. To get to know the culture better. What do the teenagers talk about? What do they do? What slang do they use? As far as being knowledge able, I will get there. This summer I’m applying to volunteer in Argentina to work with Eldery folks! Not because aw I know Spanish, I am privileged, blah, blah, I want to feel good about helping others. Yes it feels great to help others but mainly I want to hear their stories! Older people have the best stories because they have so much experience! If I can help them in exchange for meeting some great people that would be the BEST way to use my Spanish knowledge. Wow. People are great and fascinating. I must learn more languages as to meet more awesome people.