Through Connect-123, I interned at a Spanish school located in the Recoleta area, and experienced the porteño life firsthand. I’m eternally grateful to our on-site advisor, Maru, Brenda, who helped from a distance, my friends in the program, and everyone else I met along the way. At my internship, I worked in a marketing and business strategy role, supporting the organization in social media management, outreach and expansion efforts, and planning for future growth. My time at the Spanish School strengthened my Spanish proficiency, cross-cultural communication skills, proficiency with marketing tools, and adaptability within a fast-changing, close-knit team. This experience has opened something inside of me. I’ve always liked to think of traveling or studying abroad as an opportunity to temper yourself, as a blacksmith tempers a blade. You’re always in process and growing, but throwing yourself into the unknown does that at a greater magnitude. This journey allowed me to do just that– meet new people, both from my program and locals in Argentina, try new foods and sweet treats (of course), deepen my understanding of Spanish, and ultimately, become more of myself. Growth abroad is a slow, sometimes chaotic process. There are always surprises riddled along the way, some nuggets of gold and others unexpected coal. Each experience, whether positive or negative, has the potential to change and shape your entire life. At least that’s what I tell myself. Thank you again to Maru, Brenda, and everyone at Connect-123 and Rhodes College for making this possible.