对世界的兴趣从国内开始，在南方发展

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2019年12月10日发布

快乐华盛顿

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An unexpected decision to host an exchange student from Brazil led 美国L. Gafford, 现在21岁，他想攻读学位 外国语言文学 集中在 西班牙语 和 俄罗斯 在十大彩票网投平台.

Gafford, a Murphy High School graduate, is now preparing to graduate on December 14 她有学士学位. 她对自己所拥有的丰富经验感到惊奇 十大彩票网投平台的学生.

“I had taken 西班牙语 in high school, because I loved it 和 my family hosted exchange students throughout my high school years,” Gafford explained. “在那次经历之前， 我不是一个具有全球视野的人. 但一旦我们开始接待交换学生， 我知道我想要一个更全球化的职业. 高中毕业后，我就开始了 traveling abroad to visit my friends who had stayed in my home. 我决定学习 foreign languages with a focus on 西班牙语 和 international studies at 南. 由我 sophomore year, I was interested in learning a second language, which was 俄罗斯. USA’s 俄罗斯 program has an accelerated course, where you can take two courses in 一个学期. 我真的很喜欢. I decided to change my concentration from international 俄语学习.”

Gafford 说 having the exchange students in her home opened her mind to underst和 how people from all over the world are more similar than they are different. 什么 she loves the most is helping other students learn the languages at the 美国语言资源中心.

“As a 西班牙语 tutor for the past two years, I have had a great experience with sharing my love for traveling abroad 和 getting to know people who live in Spain 和 Russia. 作为一名家庭教师，我所做的与教学类似. 但这是一对一的指导，而且 I also lead group review sessions 和 helped with homework.”

Gafford has had a fun 和 beneficial experience as 十大彩票网投平台的学生. 她也是 感谢教授们的支持.

“我的教授们都非常乐于助人，和蔼可亲. 我接受过非常个人化的教育. 我不觉得自己是个数字. My professors have given me opportunities to do presentations, 翻译和工作不同的实习. 我也很享受2018-2019年的任期 president of Phi Sigma Iota International Foreign Language Honor Society. 我也是 美国总统学者.”

Although living 和 working abroad is in Gafford’s future, she wants to take time 再次创作. 一到16岁，加福德就开始工作. 在研究 at USA, she focused on her assignments 和 didn’t do any creative writing or reading 课外活动. She is interested in writing short stories 和 screenwriting 为电影. 她将来可能会写一部小说.

But as graduation approaches, Gafford has made a compassionate decision regarding 她人生的下一步.

“I really wanted to teach English abroad to really solidify my language skills,” she 说. “Although I have spent two months each in Spain 和 Russia, it would be better 如果我能在那里多住一段时间. 我的计划是上飞机， teach 和 live abroad 和 possibly do some freelance writing when I am not teaching. 但现在我需要回到莫比尔的家里帮助我的家人.”

Gafford’s dad, John, was diagnosed this past April with ALS, which is Amyotrophic 侧索硬化症，也被称为Lou Gehrig病. 这是一种渐进的神经退行性疾病 disease that causes muscle weakness, paralysis 和 ultimately, respiratory failure.

“我爸爸在家需要帮助，”她说. “因为我正处于毕业的过渡时期 approaching, I can continue to stay home 和 be here to help my mom, Leslie, 和 family 和我爸爸. My plan was to go to college, live at home 和 save my money so that 我可以在国外工作和生活. But I will help care for dad, pursue freelance writing 机会，并对我的未来做出一些决定. 在美国的时候，我一直在 忙着学习. 一直都是十大彩票网投平台工作和学习. 现在，我要放慢脚步，活在当下 和我爸爸在一起，享受写作的乐趣. 研究生院可能是 在我的未来也是如此. 我们看看会发生什么. 我很清楚这次在 我的生命不会再来了.”

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