{"id":72579,"date":"2024-07-23T10:36:45","date_gmt":"2024-07-23T17:36:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=72579"},"modified":"2024-07-23T10:36:45","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T17:36:45","slug":"humans-of-nau-hailey-lopez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/humans-of-nau-hailey-lopez\/","title":{"rendered":"Humans of NAU: Hailey Lopez"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hailey Lopez<\/span><\/b> arrived at NAU with a four-year plan outlined on spreadsheets. By the time she graduated, she\u2019d thrown the whole plan out the window. Lopez, who is an education abroad coordinator at NAU, doesn\u2019t quite know what the future holds\u2014perhaps a career in communications, foreign policy or education. But for now, she\u2019s headed to South Korea to teach English as part of the prestigious Fulbright English Teaching Assistant program. Read on to find out how Lopez tore up her grand plans, found cherished communities at NAU and learned about the world and herself while studying abroad.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What brought you to NAU?<\/span><\/b>
\n<\/span>Admittedly, attending NAU, or rather going to college altogether, was always up in the air until the very last moment. I definitely wanted to go to college, but I was realistic about the fact that for the most part, I would be on my own. I was financially insecure, and I was unsure as to what programs and opportunities were available to me. I applied to a few different colleges, but NAU eventually stood out to me because the resources were straightforward and easily\u202faccessible. I received enough scholarships to afford it, and I was able to research all kinds of information that increased my confidence in pursuing a degree.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Hailey<\/a>
After receiving a master’s degree from NAU, Lopez worked as an education abroad coordinator for the university.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why did you decide to stay at NAU after graduation?<\/span><\/b>
\n<\/span>I owe it to both my family and friends and the NAU Center for International Education for the opportunity to remain here and finish what I’ve started before departing to South Korea for the Fulbright program. I’ve built such a strong support system here in Flagstaff, and without them, I would never have been as successful, and would never have done any of the things that have made my college experience the best it could be. Now that I have<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/i>(most likely)<\/span>\u202fclosed the academic chapter of my life, I will be spending more time with my family and friends, as well as continuing my work at the CIE until it is time for this next chapter in my life, beginning January 2025.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why did you decide to teach English in South Korea?<\/span><\/b>
\nAdmittedly, it was never in my plans to teach, let alone teach abroad, until maybe the last couple of years. Throughout college, I often took on leadership, mentorship and tutoring roles within a few communities that I’ve been involved in, but I’ve always gotten the most joy out of helping international students. Having lived abroad in South Korea myself, I understand the intricacies of culture shock, language barriers and being the “other.” Fortunately, there were many kind people who supported me, and I wanted to provide the same kindness to others.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As I’ve shifted my academic and career goals, I’ve become more passionate about international relations and cross-cultural communication, and I have decided to pursue a future in which I work in mass communication and media, foreign policy or international education. I have decided to teach English in South Korea under the Fulbright program because I believe in the mission statement, and I believe that the program will be overall beneficial to my future goals.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Hailey<\/a>
Lopez is headed to South Korea to teach English.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How has your experience as a student and employee at NAU prepared you for this new adventure?<\/span><\/b>
\n<\/span>Teaching English is not just language exposure; it is also cultural exposure. My job as an English teaching assistant is to exchange\u202fcultural practices, values and beliefs with my students, in addition to assisting in their language studies. What they learn from me is what\u202fI should be learning from them, too. In order to effectively do so, I need to be familiar with the unfamiliar and comfortable with the uncomfortable. I need to possess cultural competence, as well as skills in empathy and understanding.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a student with experience in both domestic and international education, I am knowledgeable\u202fon the differences in academic, professional and social dynamics. As an employee for NAU’s Center of International Education, I regularly assist other students in their own international journey. I have experienced what it is like to be both the mentor and the mentee as a result of my involvement at NAU, and I am more than confident that I am prepared for Fulbright.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tell us about a significant childhood memory and how it has impacted your life today.<\/span><\/b>
\nComing from an extensive military lineage, my family often shared stories of their adventures abroad. I was exposed to a variety of politics and cultures from a young age, particularly through foreign films. I remember many occasions in which I would sit down with my <\/span>nanas<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>tatas<\/span><\/i> to watch old Japanese and Korean films that spanned as far back as the 1950s and were more often than not only available in black and white. As I grew older, I continued to indulge in films from all over the world across all decades of the 20th and 21st centuries. It is these memories that more or less influenced the trajectory of my life today.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What did you want to be when you grew up?<\/span><\/b>
\nLittle Hailey never wanted to be one thing in particular when she grew up. She changed what she wanted to be on a weekly basis. Now that I’m older, it occurred to me that what I wanted to be when I was little often varied by whatever films I was fixated on at that moment. I always inserted myself into these plots as though I was the protagonist, imagining myself as whatever the main character was. I suppose what I truly wanted to be when I grew up was a storyteller.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Hailey<\/a>
Lopez’s fascination with Korean culture dates back to her childhood, when she sat down with family to watch old Korean and Japanese films.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What have you been most proud of recently?<\/span><\/b>
\nIt’s taken a lot of mental and emotional fortitude, but I am truly proud to be able to admit that I am still figuring out who I am and what I want to do with my life. I entered NAU as a double major in the Honors College, and I had this whole four-year plan compiled on an Excel document to ensure that college “went exactly as it should.” I had convinced myself that this was exactly what I wanted because I wanted to solidify my future as early as possible.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I didn’t end up following that plan at all. Instead, I ended up in the accelerated program, graduating with my MA this past May, as well as a BS and double minor in May 2023. I produced a few student films, earned a few scholarships and awards, studied abroad a few times and will now be working abroad, all things that I didn’t plan to do. My dreams and desires for my future are no longer what they were, and it felt somewhat like starting over. That is something I had to come to terms with. I feel like a lot of students experience this kind of anxiety, so I am proud to have overcome it and to embark on new horizons.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is your favorite way to spend a day off?<\/span><\/b>
\nI’ve always been a busy bee, so I don’t often have free time, but when I do have a day off, I prefer to take the time to relax and regroup. I love caf\u00e9-hopping, and depending on my mood, I will people-watch, read or watch videos with a coffee and a pastry. I also like to meet with my friends, or video call the ones who live in other parts of the world.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are three things on your bucket list?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n