XASS: Welcome! Why don’t you start by introducing yourself, and tell us what you’re studying and where you’re from.
Rebecaa: Okay, so my name’s Rebecaa Salazar. I have no middle name, sadly. But I am from Denver, Colorado. My family’s from Guatemala, so I’m a first-generation American. So I’m living in Denver, so that’s where I spent my summer. I’m going into my third year, my junior year studying psychology with a minor in education. So, hopefully, in the future, I’m going to be working as a child therapist or as a social worker.
XASS: Wonderful. Now, what are you into outside of that? What are your non-academic hobbies or passions?
Rebecaa: I really like to exercise, I like to go to the gym, I like to hang out with my family or my friends, just go on any adventures, trying new things, I love trying new foods. Just going anywhere, traveling, I love to travel. Yeah, just trying new things and enjoying time with the people I love.
XASS: Do you have any bucket list destinations you want to travel to?
Rebecaa: I really want to go to the Maldives and stay in those huts on the water. The water’s just so clear! I could just see, like, the stingrays swimming around. That’s my dream, to go there.
XASS: That sounds beautiful. Shifting gears, how were you raised spiritually?
Rebecaa: So, I was raised Pentecostal and in an Assemblies of God church my whole life, in a Spanish church, so, I could relate to a lot of people in Chi Alpha. A bunch of us go to a Spanish Pentecostal church on Sundays. A lot of joyful music, a lot of singing, a lot of dancing.
Yeah, my grandma, she was a big inspiration to me spiritually, because she always had so much joy in her heart, even though she was going through very hard seasons, and that continues to inspire me, just having that Pentecostal joy, and just that feeling of dance. In Spanish, the word is called gozo, it’s like joy, like, you’re always happy even in the midst of your worst seasons.
XASS: Now, I know Pentecostalism is sometimes perplexing to outsiders. How do you explain your beliefs to someone who loves the Lord, trusts the Bible, but also thinks, “That’s a little weird?”
Rebecaa: I feel like, for me, Pentecostalism means having a radical faith. Like, just believing that God can do anything. Yarely, she really inspires me, because she’s very strong in her beliefs, especially with healing. And so, she knows, when she always puts her prayer requests out and her praises that she prayed over someone sick, so often they just get healed. Pentecostalism is that faith that God can do what you know He can do, and just… just believing that God is capable of what you read in the Bible and all the miracles that you see.
XASS: Wonderful. Rebecaa, how did you find Chi Alpha?
Rebecaa: So, I found Chi Alpha through my RA, Ashley, in my freshman year. She was a part of Chi Alpha, and so she introduced me to it, and since she was also Guatemalan, and she grew up Pentecostal, too, I was like, oh this couldn’t be more perfect, and so I just came to Chi Alpha.
XASS: Okay, and how has Stanford been for you spiritually? Has it been a positive, neutral, or negative experience?
Rebecaa: So, I feel like it’s been a very positive experience. Before I went to Stanford, I wasn’t going to a church consistently, and so when I got to Stanford and I got to Chi Alpha I started going to the weekly services and meeting everybody. I feel like that really helped me a lot spiritually, and I feel like Chi Alpha is my community at Stanford, somewhere that I could always… it just feels like a family where I feel like I can always belong, and where I could always find help where I need it. I feel like it’s really been my strength. Having a firm foundation has really helped me at my time at Stanford.
XASS: Any advice for students just starting at Stanford?
Rebecaa: I know coming to Stanford or any new school can be very hard, especially if you’re someone who can consider themselves more introverted. I considered myself more introverted going into school, and so I, like, didn’t talk to people that much. I would just go straight to my dorms after Chi Alpha services or after class. I would go straight to my dorm. But I would encourage new students to try to get out of your comfort zone a little bit, to try to overthink things a little bit less. I invite you to invite me. I’ll go out with you anywhere to try new things! Being a junior now has really opened my eyes that I need to make the most out of my experience at Stanford, considering I only have 2 years left. So try to get out of your comfort zone a little bit and try new experiences.
XASS: Do you have a favorite Bible verse or passage?
Rebecaa: My favorite passage is Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd.”,That’s just so comforting to me, just knowing that He’ll take care of me, He’ll help me to rest by the waters, and just getting me through the valley and then getting me out to the other side where I can just dwell in his house forever, is just my encouragement, always.
XASS: Do you prefer reading the Bible in Spanish or in English?
Rebecaa: In English. It’s hard in Spanish… it’s like New King James, but in Spanish. laughter
XASS: Alright, what’s something that maybe I don’t know to ask you about that I should?
Rebecaa: I’m a big Marvel fan. I love Marvel and Star Wars, so I feel like I’m a big, like, not a nerd in that aspect, but I love superheroes and I love sports, too. Anything like football, baseball, soccer, I love it. My family, we’re big sports people.
XASS: Who are your teams?
Rebecaa: So my family, they immigrated from Guatemala to New York, so we follow all the New York teams, like the New York Giants, the Yankees, yeah.
XASS: Okay. And Rebecaa, are you in a relationship?
Rebecaa: I am. I am right now. It’s long distance. He goes to school in LA, but… yeah.
XASS: Very cool. Rebecaa, thank you, this has been delightful.
Rebecaa: Yes, thank you, thank you so much.
