A Mental Setback

Today I had to take a Spanish Placement Exam for USFQ. You get a certain score on the exam and that number corresponds to a difficulty level of Spanish. Many classes have a certain score you have to get on the exam to be able to take the class, because the language barrier will cause problems with your ability to learn in the class. Before today I had a big list of classes that I was considering taking while at the university. I thought that most of my classes would transfer back as Spanish credit which would be used for my Spanish minor. I am only currently at a "intermediate" level of Spanish, not the "advanced" level that is required for many of the classes I wanted to take. This was a big mental setback for me. I felt inadequate and stupid and got really concerned about my ability to learn while in Ecuador. I was in a funk all day. So I looked for other classes. I toggled back and forth between documents and webpages for about three hours until I had a list of at least 6 classes that I think would fit well into my academic program. I now plan on utilizing my study abroad experience to take both Spanish classes, as well as an ISS-replacement class I still need, in addition to an IAH-replacement class I still need. While I know that everything doesn't always work out the way I want it to, I know that absolutely everything happens for a reason. I don't think I know the reason, but I believe this to be true. While I still feel slightly inadequate and worried about my language ability and my classes in Ecuador, I am less worried than I was early today and I think I will gain confidence as I take charge of the idea that I am going no matter what and I will just have to try harder and feel more challenged if it is extremely difficult at first. Quizás (Maybe) I'll have to only take 12 credits instead of 15, quizás I'll have to study twice as much as I do at MSU, but whatever the case ends up being, I will learn so much.

Estoy emocionado aprender mucho.

-EM