Hola! Welcome to my e-Portfolio.

My name is Christian Lopez. I’m a senior at the University of Florida preparing to graduate with a Bachelor’s in International Studies with a concentration in Latin America and the Caribbean. My philosophy in life is to always try to step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself to achieve personal growth. For this reason, I have traveled to the Dominican Republic to immerse myself in the culture of the region that I have been studying for the past four years. My greatest hope in undertaking this International Service-Learning program is to take my International Studies degree outside of the classroom and experience Dominican culture and the Spanish language firsthand. My greatest fear is that I will have trouble adjusting to a new way of life other than the one I have become accustomed to in the U.S.

Regarding my academic interests, I will be graduating with two minors: one in Spanish and one in Mandarin Chinese. My academic goals revolve around understanding Latin American and Chinese culture on a deeper level by learning the languages of these respective areas of the world. Upon graduating from UF, I plan on working as a Fulbright ETA scholar teaching English in Taiwan to hone my servant leadership skills and my Mandarin competency. My future career goals include working for the U.S. government to analyze China’s growing influence in Latin America and the Caribbean. This e-Portfolio serves as a  living document of my studies and travels. The interests and passions I have mentioned are abundant themes throughout this portfolio.