My STEP project was a five month long education abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. While abroad, I took Spanish classes, taught English to local middle school students, and lived with a host family. I had the opportunity to travel around the country and learn about the history, culture, and language of Argentina.
Many things about my understanding of myself changed while I was abroad. I learned to be patient with myself while learning a new language, and I learned to become more independent. Through planning and scheduling, I realized that I have a flexible and laid back personality and that I can use that to my advantage. Argentina also gave me a deeper insight to what is really important. The people that I met while abroad helped me to widen my world view and see people as generally good. Another big takeaway from my education abroad is that a culture that is different from my own is not better or worse, just different.
Traveling by myself throughout Argentina helped me to cultivate independence and self-sufficiency, especially in a second language. Having to navigate through a new country was difficult at times but it taught me to have patience with other people and to have confidence that I could do things myself. Scheduling transportation, housing, and various activities all aided in my Spanish-speaking abilities and made me want to keep practicing and improving my skills.
My interactions and relationships with locals helped me understand what really matters. My host mother, professors, and friends always prioritized family and friends over everything else. Success to them wasn’t about money; it was about relationships with friends and family. We always ate dinner together as a household and I knew that that was an important aspect of their culture. Nobody seemed to care how many internships I had done, where my clothes were from, or what my plans for the future were. All that mattered was the kind of person I was and what I held close to me.
All of my interactions with travelers and locals led me to believe that people are generally good and want to help out. The amount of times that I had a positive interaction with someone that turned my whole day around was numerous. Locals were always willing to help me with my Spanish, and other travelers were eager to make friends and share tips. The world is so wide, and so full of great people.
Lastly, my experiences with a new culture transformed my mindset. My program director would always say that the culture that is new to us is not better or worse than what we are used to, just different. In Argentina, people usually eat dinner around 10 pm, they often have transportation strikes, and good coffee is hard to find because locals prefer to drink mate. All of these cultural aspects were new to me, and upon reflection, I have learned to accept these differences without judging them. Daily life is different everywhere and it is important to adjust and not compare.
It is hard to describe how valuable these transformations are to me. I know that I will be a better, more understanding person because of this education abroad. I am so thankful that I got to learn about the culture, history, and economy of Argentina because it really put things into perspective for me. I realize how fortunate I am to have all that I have and to live where I live. I also know that I will be more open to trying new things and more confident to reach out to people and places.
Academically, I am happy that I got the opportunity to speak Spanish everyday and take classes with local students. My speaking abilities improved tremendously. This helped me realize that while learning a second language is difficult, it is worth it, and is something that I want to continue doing. I hope to be fluent eventually and continue to use Spanish in the future. My trip was amazing and I will carry these lessons with me forever.
Maria, my host mother.
Me in front of Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina.