Hola (Hello)! My name is Jose Vasquez, and I am from Las Vegas, Nevada. My parents are from Mexico and El Salvador, both countries where Spanish is the main language. As a result, my parents taught me how to speak Spanish at home. I have three brothers: two younger and one older. Like many of you, I have pets! I have three playful Chihuahuas who love saying hi!
Even though I’m from Las Vegas, I study mechanical engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno. I chose to study there because they have an amazing engineering school. The campus is also super huge, which helped me make many friends that I care about today. I also love the snow, and Reno gets lots of snow every winter!
While I was in school, I met many people who made amazing memories studying abroad. Studying abroad means going to school in a different country. When I found out Spain had lots of STEM courses, it made me want to study abroad! Spain was the perfect place for me to practice my Spanish too, since the people of Spain speak Spanish. Now, I am in Valencia, Spain, and I’m super excited to learn about the world together with you all!
Want to know more about how you can study or intern abroad when you are a college student? The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Learn more about the scholarship by clicking here!
