Emma

Hello! My name is Emma Keller I am going to be a Senior this year studying Elementary Education. For the past month, I have been studying abroad in Paraguay. This was program offered through WSU is a teaching opportunity for me to go to Paraguay where I would be placed in a school for a month. I had always wanted to study abroad, but didn’t think there were anyopportunities for elementary education majors, so when I saw the, “Teach in Paraguay” I knew I had to go.  When I enrolled in this program, I had no idea what to expect from the country and their schools. First stepping foot off the plane into this foreignplace, I found quickly all the people were kind-hearted and students with a drive to learn. I was placed at San Ignacio De Loyola School, which is a bilingual school in the capital city of Asunción. At the Elementary school, the mornings were taught in English and the afternoons in Spanish. I was amazed by the amount of English even 1^st graders knew. The school made it such a priority to ensure their kids will leave proficient in 2 languages. When the students graduate from 12^th grade, they are able to attend college anywhere they would like because they know English and Spanish. I had a great experience at the schools being able to teach lessons every day and given control of the classroom. This program helped me grow so much as a teacher and gave me new ways to teach that I had never seen before. I also enjoyed the connections I made with all of the teachers, they took the time to get to know me and asked me lots of questions about our education system in Kansas. Some of the teachers took me out to experience different things in Paraguay.I had lots of pre-dinner coffee and snacks in the afternoon (because they don’t eat dinner until 9 o’clock there) and one teacher even took me to the Ballet. Outside of the school, I stayed with a host family and they were the nicest people I have ever met and truly treated me as their own child. I loved experiencing a different culture and it was truly an experience I will never forget.