My name is Alison Roby, and I am just starting my blog now because I leave for South America this weekend! Because the seasons are opposite in South America, I do not begin my study abroad in Buenos Aires until February 21. This extra-long winter break allows me to do some traveling before I arrive to Argentina, so I am visiting Colombia for two weeks as well! I am so excited for these experiences and cannot wait to share them with you through this blog.

At Penn State, I study biomedical engineering, but this semester I will be studying Spanish in Buenos Aires, Argentina through IES. I wanted to study abroad in a Spanish speaking country to complete my Spanish minor. I chose to go to South America because I really wanted to immerse myself in a place I may never have the opportunity to go to in the future. In Spanish classes, I love the challenge of trying to articulate my ideas in another language. I am excited, and also anxious, to have to face this challenge when trying to buy lunch, take an exam at a local university, or communicate with my host family. But through these difficulties, I hope to  improve my fluency in Spanish.

After living in State College, I am looking forward to living and learning in an urban environment like Buenos Aires . I can’t wait to explore the markets of San Telmo and experience the bohemian vibe of Buenos Aires.  I am also interested to learn how politics shape Argentine culture, from the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo to the developing investigation into the death of the Argentine prosecutor, Nissman. Overall, I hope studying abroad expands my understanding of Argentina, the rest of the world, and my place within it.

I will be updating this blog weekly to share my academic, cultural, and political experiences and hope you enjoy reading my blog!

Location: Churchville, PA 18966