I interned at a small nonprofit where I worked with nine-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee Patricia Perez on the topics of peace, AIDS prevention and care, and women in politics. My primary project was creating the Culture of Peace and Citizenship Commission where I compiled a list of nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations in Argentina that work on the topic of peace. A few weeks after I had returned to Michigan, my coworker sent me a picture of the Commission’s first meeting and even though I was not there to meet the people I had spent my summer contacting, it was great to see 10 weeks of work pay off. I was also able to attend numerous conferences on the topics of peace and women in government across Buenos Aires. It was so great to see powerful Latin American women speak in person!

By far the best part of my internship was the opportunity to immerse myself in the Spanish language. Whether I was translating articles for the website, writing summaries of conferences, or talking to my coworkers, I tried to use Spanish as much as I could, even when it was very broken and probably did not make much sense. Because of my determination, my written and oral Spanish improved significantly during my time in Buenos Aires.

I gained a lot of self-confidence as a result of working at the nonprofit. There were numerous times that I did not think I could complete a project well because I did not understand exactly what my supervisor wanted or I struggled to find the words to explain what I was thinking. Despite struggling a lot at the beginning, I managed to compete every project and I occasionally still translate articles for the office when they need it.

I will be graduating this December from Michigan State University with a BA in Comparative Cultures and Politics with minors in Spanish, Women and Gender Studies, and Latin American and Caribbean Studies. My internship in Buenos Aires solidified my desire to work in the field of human rights, specifically in Latin America.

Currently, I am interning at a lobbying firm in Lansing, Michigan which is much different than what I did last year in Buenos Aires, but I really enjoy seeing the legislative process at work.

Connect-123 made my time in Buenos Aires significantly less stressful and way more fun. I have no idea what I would have done without Paula teaching me how to use public transportation and finding me a great internship and the absolute best host family! She was always willing to answer all my travel questions and organized great events! I honestly have no idea what I would have done.

Take this opportunity!! I was so nervous before this trip that I had to force myself to just get on the plane so I would not back out. But the moment I set foot into my host family’s apartment, I knew that I would have the time of my life. And I was right! It wasn’t easy at first, but it was incredibly fun and I learned so much about myself during my 12 week stay. I wouldn’t change it for anything!

If possible, get a host family! It makes the experience so much more immersive and you learn so much about Argentine culture when you live with a Porteno family. I loved my host parents (and my host grandparents!) who were just as curious about American culture as I was about Argentine culture. Our dinners together are some of my favorite memories from Argentina.

Buenos Aires has so much to offer, so definitely take advantage of everything you can! My host family always teased me that I was never home, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. There is truly never a dull moment in Buenos Aires!

Also, travel! If you get a chance to leave the city, definitely take it. My only regret was not having enough time to do more things outside of Buenos Aires.