Thank you Gilman!

This entry is dedicated to the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship program.

I wanted to say that I really am grateful that I was chosen as a recipient for the scholarship.
This help was really what made this trip possible because, as I've mentioned before, I come from a very underprivileged family. And this scholarship helped me pay for the program, and completely paid for the expensive (for my capabilities) airplane ticket round trip!

From my position you have no idea how much help this was! It took a lot of financial pressure off of me. It felt so much better not having to take out a loan for study abroad this way, I didn't incur more debt than I already do for regular school. The scholarship allowed me to feel like more is possible for me.

SEE this is how happy I am:

I really encourage everyone in need to apply for this scholarship, about 1 in 3 of the scholarship applicants get the scholarship! That's almost half!
I think any time working on a statement of purpose is definitely worth this life experience and what they ask in return is just a project that will allow you to share your experience with others and encourage them to study abroad and telling them they have resources like the Gilman Scholarship to help them out.

APPLY HERE:
http://www.iie.org/en/programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program/Apply.aspx#faq3

Guess what my project is? This BLOG! And honestly I enjoyed this the whole time, to share my experience, but it has also added to my experience.
I made me more conscious of what was going on during this time abroad and I think it has made me more attentive as i have people to whom I can tell my little stories. Hopefully they have helped you or at least been enjoyable and allowed you to see what an experience abroad in Bahia, Brazil is like, through the window that is me.

Thanks for reading everyone!

Some more happy pictures:

First Post!

This, my first blog ever will be a documentation of my study abroad experience in Salvador da Bahia, Brasil. This blog is for anyone planning on studying abroad and has no idea what to expect of the process--like me; or anyone interested in Brasil, culture, and/or food, and especially for my fellow low-income-background peers. It was not impossible for me as a woman of color from an under-funded public elementary school (but I got into a UC), and even though this quarter of study abroad is more than my single-mother’s annual salary.

Also a shout out to all my stalkers! Woot-woot!

In this blog I will be giving a very detailed description of what I've done, what I’ve still left to do before going, what I’m doing once in Salvador da Bahia, Brasil, and possibly some reflections after it's all done. Of course this is what MY experience is as me and in a very specific place and time. Even though every experience is different, I think it could be helpful to hear different people’s stories.

And I really hate posts without pictures so I'll try to supply as many pictures as possible. I'm sure you'll be seeing lots of pictures of food, because that has become my hobby--or rather my nasty habit.
I love you mommy! haha