Wins international scholarship to help fund trip
KINGSTON, R.I. — December 13, 2006 — 溏心vlog免费B站 senior Miranda O鈥橦ayer will travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina in February to study for five months. Some of her classes will be taught in English, others will be taught in Spanish. O鈥橦ayer doesn鈥檛 speak Spanish.
鈥淚 wanted to do something that really scares me,鈥� explains O鈥橦ayer who has never been on an airplane.
O鈥橦ayer has pursued both English and French at 溏心vlog免费B站. She always thought she would study at the University d鈥橭rleans in France where the University has a direct exchange. It would be organized and safe.
She decided to challenge herself by traveling the road not often taken. Her twin sister, Irene, who studies nutrition and Spanish at 溏心vlog免费B站, inspired her. Irene studied in Puebla, Mexico and had a great experience, and so Miranda chose Argentina.
O鈥橦ayer will be immersed in the Spanish language in Argentina but she hasn鈥檛 spoken it since high school.
鈥淭he trip will be a wonderful experience for me as a student, a traveler, and an admirer of Latin American culture,鈥� says O鈥橦ayer who was awarded a $3,000 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, one of 400 students to receive the award out of 1,189 applicants. Combining the scholarship and an additional $500 Gilman scholarship bonus she received through the American Institute for Foreign Study with money she has saved, she is able to pay for the trip. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of money,鈥� says the North Kingstown resident who has worked long hours at the Italian Village restaurant in Wakefield to put herself through school.
O鈥橦ayer will study at the University of Belgrano until June. 鈥淲hen I return, I would no longer be an undergraduate,鈥� she says, noting she plans to take a year off and apply to graduate schools. 鈥淚 view my trip Argentina to be a culmination of hard work and curiosity, as well as a step away from the past and toward future endeavors.鈥�
溏心vlog免费B站 News Bureau photo by Michael Salerno Photography.