Hello! My name is Hannah Lucas-Dreiss, and I am a rising sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh. I am currently majoring in neuroscience and minoring in both Spanish and chemistry. This summer I have been given the privilege of participating in the Pitt in Spain program during June and July in Alcalá de Henares.

As a Latina of mixed race, I have always struggled to maintain a connection to my heritage. For some time I have wanted to become fluent in Spanish to feel a part of the Latin community as well as form a deeper connection to my cultural background. Similarly, the Spanish-speaking population in the United States has drastically increased in recent years, which has only exacerbated the need for greater patient accessibility in medicine. As an aspiring medical professional, I feel it is very important to learn the language of my patients to offer better support.

This summer I intend to use my trip to its full extent and ideally not use any English (which is much easier said than done). Spain is one of the Spanish-speaking countries I am the least familiar with in terms of culture, so I am very eager to learn more about the country and its history. While I am nervous about living in a Spanish-speaking country as someone far from fluent, I believe that this immersive experience will challenge me to improve my skills beyond what I would be able to accomplish in a classroom. Plus, I now have a host family to tell me all about the Spanish lifestyle (and maybe help me with a few assignments here and there). I hope that by the end of my trip, I will be able to meaningfully engage with others in Spanish and maybe even overcome my fear of sounding comically American whenever I speak.

¡Nos vemos en junio!