Wow. I can’t believe that my semester abroad is already over! I had such an amazing time in Buenos Aires, and I will definitely be advocating for other students from UR to choose to study abroad in Argentina–or at least in South America. My semester was so different than what I expected it to be, but in the best way possible. I am truly going to miss my host family, my new friends from all over the world, and the city itself.
I learned an incredible amount about Argentine culture. I also came to realize that every single country and the provinces within them in South America are so unique and different. Before actually living there, I had sort of grouped all of the countries together under one big category. However, they are truly so distinct and are proud to tell you about how their nation differs from others. Once, two of my friends started playfully arguing about whether Argentine or Venezuelan empanadas were better. It turns out they are made in a completely different way and filled with different meat! This is just another example of something that I would never have expected to be so distinct in every individual country.
Before I left, I wrote that one of my goals was to improve my Spanish-speaking skills, and I think I definitely succeeded. I am not fully fluent yet, but I can certainly understand people speaking very well, and can come up with a coherent response in Spanish. I credit this to my host mom, who only ever spoke to me in Spanish!
Another one of my goals was to play a lot of soccer while I was down there. I am very happy with how much I was able to play, and I am so thankful for all the friends that I made through Buenos Aires Futbol Amigos. Above is a photo of a few of my friends and I after a tournament! I had an amazing experience that I will never forget!
Chau!
Ella
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