Student Spotlight on Clara Bekeny; Greenheart Travel’s Correspondent in Spain

Greenheart Travel is excited to send a group of amazing high school students to language camps overseas as part of our 2016 Travel Correspondent Scholarship awards. To help introduce our inspiring writers, we are doing a series of spotlight interviews to help you get to know a little more about who they are, where they will be headed and what inspired them to learn a new language abroad.

Read on to meet 15-year-old, Clara Bekeny, our Greenheart Travel Correspondent from San Francisco, California who’ll be traveling to Salamanca for her summer language camp in Spain!

Favorite thing to do in your free time?

My favorite thing to do in my free time is dance. I take modern and ballet at a studio, and Jazz at my school. Also, I am a part of the dance company at my school.

Have you traveled abroad before?

Yes, I am fortunate enough to have a family that values traveling. I have family in Europe so I have been quite a few times. Some of my favorite places I have been include Venice, Italy; Paris, France; and Punta Mita, Mexico.

What got you interested in learning a new language and traveling abroad?

My mom traveled abroad to Salamanca in college and talks about how it was a life changing experience. She not only learned about the Spanish language, but also learned about different cultures being in such an international place.

What are you most excited about experiencing during your language camp?

I am most excited for improving my Spanish and meeting new people! I can’t wait to learn about where all my peers are from and spend time with them!

Why do you feel it’s important to travel to a new place and learn a new language?

I feel it’s important to travel and learn a new language because it can broaden your perspective of the world. Traveling to new places makes you more open to other people and educated about the world. I believe that the more people that put time and en energy into traveling and learning a new language, the more peaceful our world will become.

What are you nervous about?

I am nervous about being away from my friends and family. I spend so much time with them; it will be hard to not see them everyday. I know it will just make me more of an independent person though.

How well do you speak Spanish at this point?

I have been speaking Spanish for four years now. I have a good understanding of grammar and writing Spanish, but my speaking skills need to be improved. I hope by being immersed into the Spanish language I will improve a great deal.

How do you think you will change the most during your time abroad?

I think I will become more adventurous during my time abroad. I hope to try new things, and return home with great memories to share with my family and friends.

Clara Bekeny is 15 years old and lives in San Francisco, California. Her goal during her language program in Salamanca, Spain is to “to broaden my understanding of the Spanish culture and to make new friends during my trip to Salamanca. Additionally, I hope to improve my Spanish language skills.” Follow Clara’s adventure in Spain on her weekly blog post updates.