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How multilinguals reflect on and interpret their experiences abroad as they acquire an additional language has been undertheorized in study abroad research. Multilinguals navigate multiple identities, cross linguistic and social boundaries, and employ an array of resources to make meaning-that is, they engage in translingual practice. This article presents the case of Terry-a Vietnamese-American learner of Spanish-during a 13-week stay in Guatemala as she navigates and reflects on her sense of self. Employing translingual practice and symbolic competence as theoretical frameworks, this study examines how Terry drew on her cultural and linguistic background to understand her experiences abroad and in turn, how an abroad experience encouraged critical self-reflection. Through a thematic analysis of interviews, course assignments, and audio-recorded classroom observations, the findings illustrate how an abroad curriculum that emphasized structured critical reflection and local engagement encouraged Terry's development of critical translingual competence; an awareness of the symbolic significance of meaning-making resources across contexts; and the inextricable connections among identity, language, and culture.

Why learners return from study abroad (SA) with varying degrees of second language (L2) gains or differing attitudes towards the target language and culture remains an open question. This study employs theories of identity (Kinginger, 2013) and investment (Darvin & Norton, 2015; Norton Peirce, 1995) to examine the case of three learners of Spanish as they studied abroad in Spain. Interviews, journals, and language-use surveys were analyzed to understand how and why these learners' investment in Spanish and in language learning opportunities shifted throughout their program. Pre-and post-SA speaking abilities tests in Spanish were used to measure how participants' investments related to their L2 speaking development. The three case studies suggest that participants negotiate competing and fluctuating desires, identities, and investments that often lead to contradictory behaviors regarding their language learning and use while abroad. These opposing investments and identities stem from participants' expectations of an idealized SA experience and their belief in the capital (Bourdieu, 1986) that Spanish may offer them back home and abroad. This study further finds that participants' ongoing investment in learning and using Spanish relates to their L2 speaking gains post-SA.

Despite institutional and national focus on the importance of study abroad (SA) in U.S. higher education, the number of students of color abroad is still disproportionately low (Institute of International Education, 2017). Moreover, there is limited literature examining how race and ethnicity shapes experiences abroad, despite SA research highlighting how identity negotiation influences language learning in the SA context (Kinginger, 2013). This study presents the cases of two U.S. students —an Iranian-American and an African-and Mexican-American —studying in Spain. Through journals, interviews, surveys, and the Versant for Spanishoral test, this study illustrates how these participants rejected negative racial and ethnic positionings by withdrawing from host country nationals and eventually re-evaluating experiences to align with their desired identities. Both learners improved their Versantpost-SA but their linguistic confidence in their Spanish language capabilities did not increase. The study concludes with implications for creating more inclusive and supportive SA programs.

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