TACOMA, Wash. - Pacific Lutheran University track & field senior Neely Harding and sophomore soccer student-athlete Vivian Shinall were among a group of Lutes who made the trek down to Uruguay for a Hispanic Studies study away program during J-Term.

Both student-athletes love experiencing new cultures and wanted an opportunity to practice the Spanish language, so the Uruguay program was perfect for them. Harding believes her background as a student-athlete allowed her to adjust quickly to her new environments and form another kind of "team" and support network with the students around her. 

For Shinall, her experience as a soccer player made Uruguay even more exciting. Uruguay was the site and winner of the first World Cup in 1930, so the country loves the sport as much as Shinall does. She also said her soccer training helped her to push past mistakes and be resilient during her time away.

"Going somewhere where you have to speak a language that you're not 100% comfortable in requires you to be able to laugh at yourself and push on to keep improving," Shinall said.

Soccer season at PLU has more intense training in the fall and spring, so J-term was the best time for Shinall to study away. However, Harding's track & field season overlaps with January, so she did her best to train while abroad. She throws discus and hammer, which require facilities she didn't have access to in Uruguay. To make up for lack of training, she used exercise bands, body-weight exercises, and ran to stay in the best shape possible.

Although she missed some of the indoor season, Harding is very grateful for the opportunity to study away. She built incredible relationships and learned to cherish the idea of growth. 

"No one can ever stop growing and learning," Harding said. "There is always more to know and more to practice."

Shinall echoed the importance of her new relationships with her host mom and professor, and added how she gained confidence in her independence and ability to, "survive," in a Spanish-speaking country. She also gained a new appreciation for soccer.

"Study abroad also taught me how powerful soccer is as a sport, and how it really unites people throughout communities, as people were diehard fans for their home teams in Uruguay," Shinall said.

When asked about her favorite memory, Harding recalled teaching her host family how to play Yahtzee. Despite her broken Spanish, Harding managed to relate enough of the rules and strategies for her host mom to win Yahtzee, and then the whole game.

"I just loved being able to share some of the things I do with my friends, especially since my host family was sharing what they enjoy doing in their country," Harding said.

Now back in the states, Harding and Shinall will carry memories like these as they continue their studies and sports. Besides missing their host families and culture of Uruguay, they also miss the warm weather.