For the spring semester of my junior year in 2017 I studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I went with a program organized by the University of Pittsburgh called Pitt in Bueno Aires. The program offered the opportunity to study at a local university, engage in internships at NGOs, and live with native host families. I was thrilled to have found such an amazing program; a program which would go beyond my expectations and leave me with a valuable global education.

I was met in Argentina with a 90 degree heat wave in the month of February and the warmest and most welcoming hospitality I had ever experienced. My host family in Buenos Aires have so much to do with the fond memories I have of my study abroad experience. They were so accommodating and patient with me as I navigated my new city. They also invited me to do cultural activities with them such as asados (BBQs) and Milongas (Tango dance halls). I was pleased to learn that most Porteños (dwellers of Buenos Aires) have the same kind and friendly disposition as I had come to know from my host family.

My classes were held at Austral Universidad. The private school campus had locations in the city as well as one in the suburbs. My classes took place in the city with most professors being native despite also teaching courses in English. I did have one Pitt professor who taught my International Economics class. My one class taught in Spanish was my Spanish Conversation class. I enjoyed this course because we would have long discussions about politics and culture in Argentina. It helped my understanding of the social climate and the history a little bit more. Another aspect of my classes which I enjoyed was having classmates from all over the world. I learned that semesters abroad were not only popular with students from the United States. At the university my classmates were from France, Germany, Uruguay, and Portugal among many others. I enjoyed hearing from my multicultural classmates  and learning about the way in which they saw the world  from their perspective.

Another component of my study abroad experience was the internship placement. This experience proved to be very beneficial and allowed me to experience things I never would have been able to previously. I was placed at an NGO called Fundacion Metafora. This NGO focused on teaching sustainable and environmentally friendly practices in schools. My tasks included researching best practices and techniques for building school gardens and other initiatives like that. I also did some translation work so that the organization could have content in English. My favorite part of this job was when we got to go into the schools and conduct educational activities about sustainability. For me, it was an incredible opportunity to learn about the schools and what they are like. It also gave me the opportunity to interact with other volunteers who were around the same age as me as well as local people like the teachers and the kids. I’m so grateful for having this opportunity. I credit my Spanish language classes for helping me get to a level where I could participate in this sort of experience.

Despite the classes and internships, I also had plenty of time to wander around the city and explore. I made sure to visit the best museums, parks, and landmarks that Buenos Aires had to offer. I also got the opportunity to travel outside of the city. My first trip was a short ferry ride across the river to Uruguay. I visited the gorgeous town of Colonia and then headed to the capital, Montevideo. My second trip was much longer and involved boarding an airplane for a two hour flight. I visited the glaciers of Patagonia at El Calefate. This was an incredible experience and allowed me to be with a beautiful side of nature I had never witnessed before. My final trip took me up north, the Iguazu. The large waterfall on the border of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. This, like the glaciers, was another incredible feat of nature.