Return to America

Now that I have returned to America, I want to talk about and reflect on some of my favorite memories and biggest takeaways from this trip.

I think that my favorite part of living in another country was my host mom. She was incredible, and made sure that I had everything that I needed and knew where I was going. She showed me around the city, gave me recommendations on all the best food and drink places, and cooked delicious meals for me. She truly made me feel at home, even when I was on the other side of the world! I am so thankful for such an amazing host mom; she truly made my experience a good one!

I also loved the independence that I had in Argentina. I was left in a place that I had never been before, with little instruction on how to navigate it or where to go; so I had to figure it out on my own. Once I figured out how to use the subway and other public transportation, I explored as much of the city as I could. This was so nice for me to be able to have the free time to go out and do whatever I wanted to. Even if I didn't reach the destination I had intended, I always ended up seeing parts of the city that were new. I loved the independence of having to figure things out on my own, and how much of the city this allowed me to see!

The other AIFS students that I went on this trip with were also incredible. We all had the same passion and desire for traveling and medicine, and for this reason, we were able to get along very well and have some great times together. Although the point of the trip was to learn Spanish, it was nice to have some people to converse with in English, too.

Now that I am back at home, I will be able to use my Spanish speaking skills along with my improved medical knowledge both in the classroom and for my future. As a pre-med student with a minor in Spanish, I can use all of the things that I learned in Argentina in my undergrad classes, as well as on medical school applications. I am so grateful for the experience that I had in Argentina, and would recommend studying abroad to anyone as a great way to build independence, experience the world, and meet new people!