I fulfilled this goal by completing SPAN 105 and 201. Both of these courses took the class beyond understanding the language and its grammatical structures to looking at culture and history. I think knowing how to speak, write, and understand the language is important, but knowing about the culture would be more helpful in a real life situation. Having studied abroad by the time I took this class I experienced times when there was a large language barrier, but understanding the culture I was in allowed me to navigate and to be respectful of those around me and the way the live on a daily basis.