I spent the spring semester of 2008 studying Spanish and Latin American studies at la Universidad de Belgrano in Buenos Aires, Argentina. During my five months in Argentina, I made some of the best friends I have ever had, my Spanish improved exponentially, and I grew as a person in ways that I am still discovering.
In Buenos Aires I learned about Argentine culture and history not just in school but with my home stay family. I saw tango shows and drank the traditional Argentine “mate” tea every afternoon. I sat in cafes and marveled at how European Buenos Aires can feel.
During school breaks and on the weekends, I traveled the entire country of Argentina, from Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world to the ski town of Bariloche in Patagonia to the wine country in Mendoza on the Chilean border to the jungle-like Iguazú Falls, the second largest waterfall in the world at the border of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay.
On one of my favorite days a friend and I rented a car in Salta, a town in the northwest corner of Argentina, and drove through the Andes towards Bolivia. We survived a broken fuel gauge, a gas shortage, and typical Latin American lawless roads to see gorgeous mountains and discover quaint little Argentine villages.
 My study abroad experience was life-changing, and I am thankful that Auburn University encouraged me to study in Argentina and helped me make it happen.
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