What to do with my winter break? I could stay home, visit friends, sleep, eat, shop… or I could go to Argentina. So I made the decision to go to Argentina, since I am always looking for a new adventure and places where I have never been to. I had not yet journeyed to Latin America and I was also eager to test out my skills in Spanish. I also found myself taking an interest in learning about the immigrants themselves. At that point I had already some background experience on the topic of immigration and on Italian immigration to Argentina in particular. I was also excited to see Buenos Aires and spend my winter break in a country where it was summertime!
The part of my experience that I will always recollect as the most memorable is the people. Our families welcomed us into their homes and cared for us as their own children. We never went hungry during our time in Argentina! When we ventured into the businesses around town everyone was excited to hear about the project we were working on. All of the people that we interviewed were eager to share their stories with us. They enjoyed teaching us about their country and their city of Comodoro Rivadavia. We quickly immersed ourselves into the culture and I took the challenge of improving my Spanish.
It was the people and the culture that made this trip unique and fun. I often play the many CDs purchased in Argentina, all representing different kinds of music and bringing different memories to my mind and a smile to my face. The excitement of seeing penguins and sea lions up close in Puerto Madryn, going dancing at Gigante, and f watching tango danced in La Boca are unique experiences that I can only reflect upon now.
For now, Argentina and its people seem like worlds away. The people, places and things we have done are now only memories, but the experience never stops being a part of us. Those weeks spent struggling with my Spanish, learning how to perform interviews, and adjusting to a different culture will remain as a lasting effect on the person that I am now. I know how important our final projects are to those who welcomed us into their homes and lives. It is the least we can do to thank them for their generosity.
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- There were many happy memories shared amongst our group as we made new friends and got to know old ones even better. Here is a picture of the group enjoying themselves at Dave’s birthday celebration.
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- All of our host families and the families of our friends welcomed us into their homes and lives with open arms. There was always someone to practice your Spanish on or share the events of the day with. Here I am pictured with my Argentine siblings!
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- A part of Argentine culture that none of us will soon forget is the ice cream that we found we could not go a day without. Here the professors and my host sister dive into ice cream.
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