Simón Salvioni  (Winner) 

Claudia Valdez (Runner up 1) 

Monserrat Decoud (Runner Up 2) 

Special Mentions to 

1. Alicia Galeano Galeano 

2.  Fiorella Sarubbi 

3. Luján Martínez l

Best Layout of the Year

1.  Monserrat Decoud 

2. Alicia Galeano  

3. Claudia Valdez 

Special Mentions to 

1. https://thecatcherintherye.carrd.co/

2. https://www.tumblr.com/dragonsofedenbyyami

3. https://impression-theshoreroadmystery.blogspot.com/

4.https://emmabyja.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-potentially-enamoured-miss-woodhouse.html

27/07/23, by Third Year Students

The ISL (Instituto Superior de Lenguas) is an institution located in Asunción, Paraguay, which offers language degrees for aspiring teachers and translators. Regarding teaching, many outstanding language teachers have graduated from the ISL, which shows that the institution is a great place to study to become one. Besides that, many ISL students decide to continue their education by pursuing a master’s degree abroad. Some students actually claim that the education from the ISL has helped them cope with studying abroad. One of these students is Betsabeth Derene, who graduated from the ISL in 2021, and now she is preparing to study abroad to pursue a master’s degree in TESOL education. In this interview, we delve into her views on the ISL, her life as a student, her thesis project to graduate, her expectations with regards to studying abroad, and her plans for the future after completing her master’s degree.

Her views on the ISL

1. Why did you decide to study English at the ISL?

I’ve always been good at languages, and English became a constant in my life since a young age, even more than Spanish. It felt natural. I’ve always wanted more people to learn the language.

2. Did you consider studying something else?

I did consider other careers in previous years. I studied marketing, graphic design, fashion; but none were as appealing as languages.

3. Did the ISL meet your expectations?

It did meet my expectations and even exceeded them in some ways. As any institution in the world, there are areas or specific issues that can be addressed. But yes, overall, it was great to be part of the ISL.

4. In your opinion, were the professors engaging?

Yes! The majority of professors have great rapport with the students and the groups. Now I feel lucky to call some of them friends. I’ve worked with some of them outside the ISL, and even shared some life events with others. I am grateful our paths have crossed outside the academic field.

Her life as a student

1. What was the transition between being a highschool student and a student at the ISL like?

I can’t say much about this. I started the ISL when I was 28 years old. My high school days were long gone.

2. Did the ISL bring all the resources you needed (as a student)?

Sadly no, but we made do.

3. How do you think the ISL, and Filosofía/UNA in general could improve in this regard?

Working WIFI in the institution, updated books, and library resources would be the main issues I would focus on (at least when I was a student).

4. What are your expectations as a future Masters’ degree student?

I want to learn more about research and its real life applications in society, as well as how language can bridge a gap in the societal norms around us.

Her thesis project.

1. Can you explain to us what your thesis was about?

The paper conducted a study in two private bilingual schools from Asunción, Paraguay to explore the reason behind the use - or lack of use - of Differentiated Instruction in the elementary classroom. Results show that the individual’s sense of self-efficacy is not a principal factor affecting the willingness to implement differentiated instructions. Other aspects such as lack of time, curriculum length, professional development among others are more influential when it comes to applying this method of instruction in the classroom.

2. Was it challenging to work on your thesis?

It was challenging to find the time between work and other responsibilities. Plus, the quarantine happened while we were trying to finish writing the paper. 

3. Approximately, how much time did it take you to complete it?

We started working on it in 2019 with professor Canese, and were able to present the proposal by the end of that year. Our initial plan was to work on it for the first semester of 2020, but COVID and quarantine changed those plans. We were able to finish and present in 2021. 

4. How did you prepare for your thesis defence?

We focused on being able to explain our thesis in “simple terms” first. If we were able to explain it this way, we were certain we knew our topic. After that we prepared our visual aid and started practising for pace and pronunciation.

Her expectations with regards to studying abroad

1. How do you think being a student abroad will differ from being a student in Paraguay? 

I think studying abroad will help me broaden my network and connections, both professional and personal, as well as broaden my worldview and knowledge of different cultures.

2. Do you think the skills and knowledge imparted by the ISL will be useful as a student abroad? How?

I believe everything I’ve learned at the ISL will have prepared me to excel in the academic field.

3. What is your opinion on studying abroad? Do you think it can broaden the horizons for students?

I believe growth comes from challenges. Packing your life and starting over in a new country not only broadens your horizon, but also helps with self-confidence. You can prove to yourself what you’re capable of.

4. Would you recommend your peers to study abroad?

Yes! 1.000% YES!!

Her plans for the future after she finishes her master’s degree.

1. What would you like to do after you finish your master’s degree?

I will be completing an MA in TESOL. I would very much like to come back to Paraguay and create a program for public schools and low-income students to have access to English language learning.

2. How would you apply the knowledge from the master’s degree to your professional life?

I would very much like to come back to Paraguay and create a program for public schools and low-income students to have access to English language learning.

3. Do you see yourself pursuing a PhD in the future?

Yes. If possible, I would like to pursue a PhD right after the master’s degree.

4. Will you recommend other people to pursue a master’s degree? Why?

Yes, definitely. Like mentioned before, I believe you can achieve great things if you challenge yourself. It’s important to believe in yourself and your abilities, and pursuing a master’s degree in another country is a fantastic way to do this, as well as to experience other cultures and learn from them.

Issue N°2, July 2022

Issue N° 1. June 2022

1st year English Department

By Adrián Cañete. 10/02/22

The ISL, known as “Instituto Superior de Lenguas” is an important and prestigious academic place that offers a degree in English, as well as in other languages. Amazing and outstanding educators have graduated from theISL, and have contributed to the proper development of English as a foreign language in the most prestigious institutions and schools in our country.

One of these outstanding graduates is Tabea Rempel, a teacher with several years of experience who graduated in 2017. She has taught all ages and many different levels (from Young learners to adults, along with from beginners to advanced). She began teaching at ANGLO language institute. In terms of her background with the language, Tabea learned English by taking English classes, but also through media content and literatura of said language. She speaks Spanish, English and German. In fact, she is very proud of having passed the Cambridge Proficiency Language Exam C2 level, and then she continued working as a teacher. After passing the Cambridge Proficiency Language Exam C2 level, Tabea Rempel held some presentations. In addition, she was able to travel around the country on behalf of the Anglo, in order to provide information about the Cambridge Exams regarding the resources available and the processes for the application.For instance, she presented topics about online teaching, as well as she was able to be a presenter at the 2018 ISL Symposium, her topic was “Preparing for International Exams: Resources available for Teachers and Students”.

Additionally, Tabea attended several presentations and conferences, one of them in Uruguay, where all the presentations and conferences were related to the teaching of the English language. According to Tabea, during her years as a student at the ISL, her favorite subjects were Pedagogy, Educational Psychology and Didactics. For her, those subjects helped her to understand the different learning and teaching techniques and how to properly apply them into educational settings,along with different students and how to approach students’needs. As a matter of fact, she enjoyed learning about Educational Psychology, because the subject provided her a variety of concepts that are still useful for her, in order to know how students learn, what would be the best teaching methods and how to identify individual differences in learning.

Furthermore, after learning the important concepts of those subjects, Tabea was ready to develop what she learned so as to apply it in her own experiences as a teacher; nevertheless, those subjects in combination with the others contributed in a fundamental way to her professional careeras an educator.Tabea is part of the organizing committee of the Paraguayan Congress of Applied Linguistics CONPLA (by its Spanish acronym: Congreso Paraguayo de Lingüística Aplicada). An organization that aims to define the different directions of Applied Linguistics into different approaches within the Paraguayan context. Besides, she is a volunteer at META “Technological Educational Medium for Learning” (by its Spanish acronym), which is an education technology portal whose objective is to improve the teaching and learning process in Paraguay, as well as to provide a platform to support educators in Paraguayan education. Currently, Tabea is working at the ANGLO, a place where she has been teaching for several years, she Works at a private school (high school level), as well as at the ISL as a Grammar Teacher at the entrance exam course and as a Teacher Assistant for the subjects ResearchMethods, Curriculum and Translation. Overall, TabeaRempel is interested in education, from teaching pedagogy to assessment and teaching educational psychology. In the near future, she would like to continue pursuing a master’s degreein teaching areas. To conclude, it was pretty rewarding interviewing Tabea Rempel, it was great knowing a little bit more about her background, why she was interested in teaching, her achievements and activities not only in Paraguay, but also abroad, as well as how her life as an educator has changed after graduating from the ISL, including the opportunities that she was able to obtain.

By Lucía Benitez. 03/02/22

On November 2nd 2021, I interviewed an ISL Alumni, with the objectives of knowing her thoughts about the ISL, why she chose this career, and more.

First, she introduces herself and proceeds to answer the first question that was “What made you want to study English at the ISL? ”

Hello, my name is María José and I graduated from the ISL in 2019. When I finished high school, I wasn't completely sure of what I wanted to do but I had always been interested in the English language so I decided to study this career.

“Did the ISL meet your expectations?”

To be honest, when I started this career, I wasn't too sure of what to expect, it was all so new for me and I wasn't even sure of what I wanted to do after finishing the career. However, I think that I did learn a lot from my teachers at the ISL-she adds. One particular thing I was hoping for was to have more class hours dedicated to Literature and Translation, but this major is more focused on preparing students for becoming teachers in the future, a goal that I think it accomplishes quite well.

“Did you always want to study this career? Why?” No, this wasn't what I always wanted to study. In fact, I didn't decide on English until two weeks prior to the entrance exam for the Cursillo.

“If it was not English Major, what other career would you have studied?”

Originally I wanted to study Letras because I have always loved Literature” She also tells me that she loves the English language as much as literature, so that could be another reason for the career choice that she made.

Are you working in that field today? Do you work as a teacher or translator?

“I worked as a teacher until recently and now I'm doing some freelance translation”

María Jose also says that the biggest transitional issue she faced when she started college was that she never had classes in English only. Thebiggest issue I think was that now I had to take five hours of lectures completely in English every day.

“Did you feel the college prepared you for the workforce and the real world?”

As much as college can prepare you for the real world, I think it somewhat did but there were still a lot of things I had to figure out and a lot of trial and error when I began to work.

“What was your favorite and least favorite thing about the school?”

My favorite thing was having classes in English, which helped me improve my skills in the language. I particularly enjoyed learning about Linguistics and also Literature and Translation. My least favorite thing was the amount of schoolwork that we were assigned at times. I understand that it was for us to keep learning and developing our critical thinking skills and I acknowledge how useful all of this was, but sometimes the number of assignments would be simply too much since we had many different subjects.” -after that, she adds that if she could go back in time when would definitely chose this career again.

“What was the most difficult subject? Why?” I think the most difficult subject was Research Methodology in the 4th year because the class was all about working on our actual thesis project, which took a lot of time, effort, and work to do.”

She also talks about the most difficult year for her.- “3rd year was the most challenging because we had more hours of class in comparison to previous years and we had more subjects, so that meant we had a bigger amount of assignments, group projects, and term papers to work on”.

Finally, María Jose gives advice for people who want to study to be an English Major:“I'd tell them that this is definitely a very enriching experience and that even though it may be hard to keep up with all the work at times, it is definitely worth it. My advice would be to start working your term papers ahead of time to avoid getting too stressed and overwhelmed by the due dates

By Cesar Cabrera. 27/01/22

Laura Yasy Galeano: “This B.A. could still open doors for you to migrate towards other areas in the near future” 

Laura Yasy Galeano studied at the Instituto Superior de Lengua(ISL) years ago, even before the new curriculum. I met her at the Centro Cultural Paraguayo Americano (CCPA) more than a decade ago. Since then, we’ve been connected via social networks. We are “friends” in Facebook and follow each other on Instagram,as well as Twitter. I got to see how she went from studying here in Asuncion to go for a master degree in the United Kingdom. In the UK, Laura got a MSc in Neuroscience and Education at the University of Bristol. She was supported by the Paraguayan government’s Becal scholarship and the Santander bank quality of life grant. She also published her first coauthored scientific article titled “Professional Development on the Science of Learning and Teachers Performative Thinking-A Pilot Study”. As she declaresin this interview, she’s now living in Sweden.

First, I would like to know your current situation, because I believe you are living abroad. I moved to Sweden in Jan 2021 to accept a position as a "Doktorand" in Didactics with a focus on cognitive development and learning. This job would be equal to being a PhD student in other countries, only that conditions here are really different. PhD studies are here regarded and managed as junior researchers' jobs. Hence, I'm an employee at Uppsala University and that means I've been hired by the government of Sweden. If you're interested, you can learn a lot more about my prior background and current work/research situation in this interview I did recently: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMfI4awq2RY . The focus topic of this interview was mental health and life-long learning practices from a neuroscience perspective. 

But these days, I find it hard to discuss the implications of my research without first describing the diversity and collaborative landscape in my academic field of study for the broad public first.

What made you study for this bachelor's in English at the ISL? I was 18, had just returned to the country from a year in Norway as a high school exchange student and I didn't know what I wanted to do. I spoke fluent English then, and was interested in becoming a teacher so decided to give the ISL program a try and I loved it. At this point, I had also had lots of multicultural experiences that contributed to my personal life interests. Passing through the ISL, I became very inclined to dig deeper into neurolinguistics and sociolinguistics and from then on my fascination with researching in parallel to becoming a teacher started.

What can you tell us about your thesis? My work was concerned with exploring the impact of using RAGE COMIC MEMES (as part of EFL teaching strategies) on the intrinsic motivation of preteens, at a private language learning institute in Paraguay. My view of the world was impacted in many ways, most certainly through the fact that I discovered early that researching can easily become a very lonely task, unless you look carefully until you find research groups that are both capable and willing to team up with you.

How would you describe your experience at the ISL and how did it affect your life? There were lots of negative experiences for me at this place. Though, the positive ones out shaded the bad ones in the long run. In my opinion, the degrees of freedom that teachers get to manage their subjects at University level in Paraguay haven't been earned through trust, commitment nor merit. I mean this in the sense that there's little supervision of teachers' work (which is normal at this level of instruction worldwide) but this freedom isn't necessarily paired with prior class discussions about the topics that will be taught nor the methods that will be applied to do so. This in general, leads to the formation of authoritarian leaderships which at my time were unable to revoke from their "positions of power". I know the ISL has changed a lot in the last years, and I believe it isn't too crazy to assume that this is due to radical changes in the management of this institution: where professionals that attained higher levels of education, including expertise in research skills, took over several of the available managing roles recently.

Lastly, what recommendation would you give to those students that decide to study at the ISL? Go for it, in Paraguay, I wouldn't do otherwise, unless my interests were clearly defined towards the natural sciences (in which case I'd choose to do biology) or math and computing (in which case I'd choose engineering). Even if your goal and interests seem relatively farfetched for the field of studies covered by the ISL programs, you need to choose between this and others but are uncertain, remember that this B.A. could still open doors for you to migrate towards other areas in the near future. Each and every student had a different experience at the ISL. It happens in life. We are different. However, many do not let that hold them, and manage to move forward in order to accomplish greater things in life. Laura is a good example of how if you “go for it”, you could get doors open to study abroad and focus in other areas, or disciplines.

By Nicolas Morales and Ian Gonzalez. 20/01/22

The ISL (Instituto Superior de Lenguas) is an institute that prides itself in forming language teachers and translators who can branch out to work in many diverse places, sometimes even making it to the worldwide scene. Others work for prestigious organizations that continue the endeavor to teach languages, and even teach themselves; so is the case of one of the many ISL graduates, Ms. Nataly Zelada. Spurred on by her fondness for listening to songs and watching TV shows in English, Nataly discovered her affinity and fondness for teaching and this newfound motivation sent her towards the ISL looking to become a teacher, although not without some early doubts. “It was difficult at the beginning because the first-year subjects are not directly related to teaching, but as the career goes on, you can walk down a more defined path ”The four years of career exposed her to several subjects, with her favorite ones being those related to teaching because that was the area where she shone the brightest. Right from the get-go, she focused on improving her own skills as an English teacher, and learn new strategies as to help her along the road of improvement. Out of all the subjects, her favorite was Language Pedagogy with Professor Christian Cristoful, stating that “it was my favorite because not only we learned the theoretical aspects,but we also learned how to put them into practice” and that “it was a very significative process because I had little experience in the classroom,but I put all of the stuff I learned into practice” And as for her favorite professor? It was Mr. Cristoful as well, because of “his charismatic personality and the quality of his classes”.

Nataly graduated from the ISL in 2017 and nowadays she is working as a teacher in a private school in Asunción, as well as coordinating the volunteers for the PARATESOL organization. Using a quote from John Cotton Dana,“who dares to teach must never cease to learn”, she reflects on the importance for teachers to keep on learning and that her experience in the ISL “served as a great stepping stone to get into teaching and training”.Regarding her future, she expects to be able to develop more training programs for language teachers so, in her own words, “they can acquire thenecessary skills to teach and help the current generation of students” And as a closure, some encouraging and helpful words for both newcomers and recently graduated ISL students; “Find out what do you want to do with your career and focus on it, as to acquire the tools that will help you reach your goals. Keep in touch with professionals as well, those who are doing the same things you want to do, so they can guide you along and share their experiences”

Jorge Brizuelais a professional who has graduated from Instituto Superior de Lenguas with a Bachelor’s degree in English. When asked about how he thinks he’d be remembered by his colleagues and professors, he said: “I would be remembered as the first one in ISL’s history who  did  their dissertation  online.” Although he was also the first student from his class to present the virtual thesis and graduate from the institute, he does not particularly consider himself to be an ‘overachiever’. Rather, he said: “I think  I only become  an overachiever if the topic or area is especially interesting to me”. This is a profile essayof Jorge, who decided to major in English because “it was easy”.Jorge  is  a  26-year-old  teacher who teaches  English at  a  school  in  Asunción from kindergarten to 3rd-grade students. After graduating from the ISL last year, he has also started teaching  business  English  and  football  English  in  various  companies. And  whenever  the opportunity presents itself, he also works as a freelance translator. Ironically enough, Jorge has never been interested in languages growing up: “As a kid, I actually wanted to be a physician because I was drawn to the scientific aspect of it. The knowledge... that the brain does this, and this muscle can do this.” Interestingly, what made him pursue English in university was obtaining an unexpected scholarship from the CCPA. He chose to study at the ISL because he believed that  studying  English  at  the  university  level  would  help  him  to  become  an  English teacher later in life. Although it took him two tries to get admitted to the ISL, Jorge says that the English language came naturally to him: “I always had friends who are foreigners around me so I could learn English very easily and I knew it was something that I could excel at.” Jorge currently feels that his Bachelor’s degree hasn’t necessarily been helpful in expanding his professional career, which may be due to the fact that his teaching job remained the same during and after graduating from the institute. However, he views his undergraduate education as a beginning step towards achieving his dream. Regarding his experience as a former student, he had a lot to say and was enthusiastic to share about the good, the bad, and the ugly of being a student of the ISL. 

First, Jorge provided elaborate feedback on particular aspects he enjoyed and on aspects he felt could be improved. For  instance,  in his  first  and  second  years,  Jorge  wishes  he  had  gotten  more  guidance  in academic writing.“During the first year, I would have loved to receive more training for writing because right from the first year, you are already asked to write term papers, and you are  lost,  especially  because  we  are  the  only  ones  that  use  the  MLA  format. ”For the  second year, he commented: “I would have loved to have more guidance inconducting research. I feel that more preparation was needed at that stage so the rest of the years could be more smooth sailing.”   Jorge remembers that the third year of university has been the most challenging year for him: “Third year was extremely overwhelming due to the immense workload from the nine subjects, especially during TP times. Also, fulfilling the needs of the Teaching Practice course has  been really challenging because  the  observations  and  teaching  practices  we  had  to  do coincided with my working hours.”Finally, in the fourth year, he said, “The last year was more relaxing than the hectic third year, but still we had more complex subjects like Philology. But, I  loved the fourth-year  research  class.  I  think  that  it  is the  reason  why  I was  able  to  get my dissertation finished one month after I finished my final exams. ”

On the other hand, when asked the question “What do you think the school didn’t do well?” Jorge responded that something that could be improved for the efficiency and quality of the institution was: “...the bureaucracy of getting to know your grades.” In other words, the process  in  which  grades  are  submitted  and  delivered  to  students. Jorge  seemed  really dissatisfied with the system and said: “You have to wait endlessly and go see the secretary, Nilda every day to see if the grades are out. It is not an effective system and could definitely be improved.” Despite  these  points  that  could  be  ameliorated,  Jorge  expressed  that  he  was overall satisfied with the quality of education he received at the ISL: “The education I got was pretty good compared to the other universities that offer the same career. All professors were very well  prepared  and  have  a  very  good  (educational)  background.  I  think  it  met  my  academic expectations. It is a very demanding career, but I feel that it is also fair regarding grading and the way teachers try to instruct us.” Everyone  has  a  desired professional  career,  experiences they  want  to  have,  and  a lifestyle they want to live.Jorge has recently applied for a Master’s degree to study technology and  education  in  the  UK. And  although  he  did  not get  the  results  he  wanted,he  was  not disappointed, but rather confident. When asked what he would be doing five years from now, he  replied: “I would  probably  have finished graduate school.” 

For  now, Jorge  will commit himself to teaching, but he continues to dream of going to the UK one day to study.“London is where I would like to live. I want to be in the big city environment. From what I’ve seen and heard, you never get bored there.” As a person whose motivation is to be the best version of themselves, Jorge’s long-term dream is to be able to “make a change, whether it is small or bigin the way education is delivered in Paraguay.” Jorge aspires to study technology and education in order to be able to bridge the two areas of his interest into one. “I think that technology is really needed in Paraguay’s education system.  So,  I want  to develop  a  program  or an app  that  would  help  students  with  learning disabilities or foster learning in kids and adolescents through the use of technology.” Jorge may not knowhow to approach or make this a realityyet, but he is sure of one thing, which is that he wants to make a positive impact in his community by implementing the use of technology. While Jorge says  that  he doesn't  associate  himself  with  the  terms  "overachiever" and "competitive", his stories may say otherwise.

Sascha Rosenberger is a former ISL student from the class of 2008 who, from the time he  graduated until  now,  has  been  working  hard  to  keep  growing  both  professionally  and personally. He earned a master’s degree in Intercultural Studies in Communication and Administration  from  the  University  of  Vaasa,  Finland  in  2010,  and  a  PhD  in  International Development  Studies  from  Ruhr-University  Bochum,  Germany  in  2018.  Dr.  Rosenberger  is currently working in a Paraguayan NGO that specializes in education and technology. He is also a teaching assistant in Research Methodology at the ISL.

When asked if there was a particular reason for him to pursue a degree in English at the ISL, he explained that he was interested in becoming a translator and interpreter and that he wanted to make the most of his skills and proficiency in the language. He mentioned that he got his first interpretation gig during his second  year  as a student. He stayed in the  field for several years, until he left to pursue his master's degree. One  of  Dr.  Rosenberger’s fondest memories from his time at the ISL has to do with Professor  and  Mag.  Juan  Carlos  Camps.  He  remembers  Prof.  Camps  warmly  as  a  great professional as well as a mentor. Furthermore, he lamented the fact that newer students of the institution won’t be able to meet Prof. Camps, since he was an excellent individual and educator. 

Regarding his current position at the ISL, he stated that he was able to immerse himself in the field while studying in Europe, which cemented his interest in research. Upon his return to Paraguay, he was offered the opportunity to teach part-time at the ISL and decided to take

this position at the university. In that vein, he stated that he has now seen positive changes at the  ISL  since  his  departure  in  2008,  especially in  the  current  emphasis  on  forming  research groups and organizing international conferences. Even  before  earning  his  degree  in  2008,  Dr.  Rosenberger  knew  he  wanted  to  study abroad. He decided to apply to universities in Finland, since its education system is one of the best in the world. He mentioned that it was very eye-opening, as the intercultural experiences helped him significantly when it came to expanding and changing his worldview. When  asked  about  what  he  perceived  to  be  the  differences  between  both  education systems,  Dr.  Rosenberger  stated  the  main  difference  lies  in  the  structure  of  the  degrees  and levels  of  autonomy  students  have.  "Degrees  in  Paraguay  have  a  set  number  of  subjects  you have to take, and the schedules are fixed, and you are taught a degree from start to finish, there are no electives, no major, no minors.” He expanded on the Finnish and German systems, reminiscing, “there are two major differences [between Paraguay and Finland/Germany]: the type  of  research  that  is  carried  out,  and the  way  you  study  and  learn.  Some  subjects  are mandatory, while others are optional. You must also choose your own schedule, and this was what  shocked  me  the  most  because  even  the  professors  make  their  own  schedule,  not  the university or the curriculum, and you must adapt to them, but you also have some freedom to do what suits you the best. This system allows you to grow as a person. You are mostly free to choose  what  subjects  to  take,  but,  at  the  same  time,  it  forces  you  to  take  responsibility  and initiative in your education.”One  of  the  major  lessons  he  learned  while  studying  abroad  was  the  importance  of continuing a conversation with tutors and experts in the field. “Part of the process of developing a research topic and actually carrying it out is to discuss it with experts; many are willing to lend a helping hand, but it is up to you to make the most of it and show that their input actually has  an  effect  on  how  you  approach  the  research.  The  purpose  of  the  feedback  experts  and

supervisors give you is to start a conversation and think about where you want to go with your research. I think the Paraguayan education system does not expect you to or even encourage you to engage in this sort of exchange, which could be a legacy of the dictatorship era.”

After earning his master's in Finland, he applied to universities in Germany. “I had a great time in Germany,” recounted Dr. Rosenberger. “I was able to do things that I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. I was able to do research and travel. In fact, the university had a considerable budget for research. I was also very fortunate to have been granted full funding for my research project along with five different conferences.”His time in Germany was not without challenge, though. “I recall taking a course on Ontology and Epistemology with two doctors from the ISS at the University of Rotterdam at the very beginning of my PhD. The required reading was assigned in December, right when Yuletide celebrations begin, and the course was scheduled to take place in January. The reading amounted  to  around  1,500  pages.  All  that  effort  was  well  worth  it,  as  it  led  me  to  truly understand research and take it seriously from then on.”

After  11  years  abroad,  Dr.  Rosenberger  returned  to  Paraguay,  in  part  due  to  family reasons. He stated that though it was not in his plans to return to Paraguay, some of the major reasons for taking this decision were personal, as well as the fact that this is what he had been studying for. He considered it was the next step for his professional career since he was going to  be  able  to  do  some  actual  application  of  everything  he  had  studied  throughout  his  career. Moreover,  he  would  have  the  opportunity  to  publish  some  of  the  work,  work  with  regional partners, travel, and do what he likes: research. Once back in Paraguay, he could observe that there are “technically enough work opportunities” in the field. He mentioned that “there are enough opportunities, but you have to make contacts in addition to putting in a lot of effort and dedication, of course. The problem, I think, lies in employers not wanting to pay what your work is worth.” In order to get a foot in the door professionally, he indicated that “you must be very aware of what is already being done [in the field] to build upon that. [As part of the process of writing the ‘tesina’] I strongly recommend making sure you do something that is useful for someone or for some organization. That doesn’t mean you have to do research that ‘makes them look good’, I mean do some research in that field to learn from it.” He  emphasized  that,  had  he  not  studied  abroad,  he  would  not  have  had  the  same opportunities. “Without the insight, knowledge and methodological tools I acquired abroad, I don’t think I would be able to do the same work I’m doing right now."Lastly, Dr. Rosenberger wanted to offer a piece of advice to all students. “Write a good thesis  and  then  apply  to  study  abroad,  to  a  place  whose  culture  you  are  unfamiliar  with, somewhere outside of your cultural comfort zone and with good academics. If you can, try to seek  exposure  to  different  ways  of  seeing  and  experiencing  things,  and  do  so  with  an  open mind.  You  should  learn  to  be  okay  with  completely  changing  how  you  see  things.  Go somewhere where your culture and beliefs are challenged, so that you can grow, not just grow old.”

by 

Lucas Ovelar

Sofía Cuenca

Alexis Oviedo

by

Lucas Ovelar

Sofía Cuenca

Alejandra Céspedes