Abroad in Argentina

When I stepped into the Patti McGill Center for Intercultural and International Studies office looking for an opportunity to study abroad in South America, my hopes were low. Luckily, St. Lawrence University’s partnership with the International Student Exchange Program was exactly what I needed. While CIIS gets most of its street credit from its long-standing, wildly successful SLU Signature Programs, the hidden gem lies in its partnership with the ISEP. 

The challenges of the ISEP program come from the amount of independence required during the enrollment process, as the host universities have no affiliation with SLU. The benefits, on the other hand, are worth the extra effort a million times over. 

Leading up to my flight to Argentina, I was overcome with nervousness. I was gearing up to move to a city of over 15 million people, enroll in a local university, live with a host family, and take a full course load, all of which I would be doing alone in a language I was far from proficient in. But in the back of my mind, I knew I was making the right decision. 

I couldn’t be more grateful that I trusted my gut. In Buenos Aires, I lived with an amazing host abuela. She was so kind and helpful to me as I tried to improve my Spanish speaking skills. I was immediately introduced to many networks of international students as well as Argentinian students with whom I took my classes. About a week after arriving, I was able to travel to the southern tip of Argentina in the Patagonia region. Here, I saw lagoons, beautiful birds, met so many kind people, and hiked some of the most beautiful mountains and glaciers I had ever seen. 

Throughout the semester, I was able to travel more than I ever have in such a short period of time, visiting many different parts of the vast country. When I wasn’t traveling, I was learning about art history, politics and language, in my classes all taught in Spanish. 

To summarize my semester in Argentina would be an impossible task. The complete immersion in Argentinian culture was a unique experience that, I would argue, is unlike any other abroad program. I developed an immense appreciation for Argentinian culture, significantly improved my Spanish speaking skills, and made friends and memories that will last with me forever