Emily Smith Llinas

Don't Call Me Gringa: Living and Learning As an American in Venezuela Emily Smith Llinas

Tag along with 22-year-old Emily Smith as she leaves the United States and immerses herself completely in the Latin American culture. Sent as an ambassador of goodwill, Emily is determined to break negative American stereotypes and live like the locals she meets in Venezuela, Colombia and Argentina. She enrolls in graduate school at La Universidad Central de Venezuela, where she's the school's first foreign student ever to pursue a Master's in International Relations. A series of emails written to friends and family in the U. S. reflect her determination to succeed academically in a new country and a new language. They also recount other experiences: learning to salsa dance, getting robbed, speaking to Rotary Clubs and exploring the Andes Mountains and the Caribbean Sea. The backdrop of Emily's experiences is the administration of Hugo Ch¿vez, the popular and controversial Venezuelan President who brings sweeping changes to the country's political, social and economic systems. Emily watches first hand and tries to stay neutral throughout the polarizing and often violent debate. Though she's traveled before, Emily is not quite prepared for some of the obstacles she faces: disorganized university procedures, rampant crime and nagging loneliness. She learns to make the best of the difficult circumstances and to appreciate the good ones: ideal weather, unprecedented popularity and budding friendships.