Argentina: Carissa Roell
Program: Instituto Tecnologico de Buenos Aires Engineering Exchange, Spring
Carissa’s Major: Environmental Engineering
What is your most memorable experience from your program?
My most memorable experience was one of the first nights I got to Argentina, ITBA had an event for exchange students to meet local Argentinians that attended their university. I ended up meeting two people from Argentina, and we ended up staying awake super late just talking with each other! I became very good friends with them and was with them the rest of the semester.
How will your experience benefit you in the future? How might it affect your future career or studies?
I believe that I have gained a very large amount of confidence and independence while studying abroad. I was the only one from UW-Madison, and one of three students from the US in my entire university. This was my first time interacting with so many people from so many different countries – which had a very positive impact on the way I communicate with others, in both English and Spanish. As a result, I became much more comfortable with talking to nearly anyone, which is a great skill to have in any job, especially when you are working with people from various diverse backgrounds. Additionally, I learned how to navigate an entire new city and culture, while ensuring my own health and safety. Not only this, but I traveled around Argentina (and to a few other countries in South America), which only enhanced my independence and responsibility.
The more open-minded you are and the more you say “yes” to trying new things, the better experience you’ll have.
What did you learn about yourself or the world because of your experience?
All of my roommates and classmates were European or from South America, therefore I was able to have a large array of cultural experiences while being there! One thing I found very interesting was the media presence the US has in other parts of the world. Everyone I met knew a lot about us and our culture/way of life, as our politics, news, pop culture, and current events is present in media all over the world. This caused me to feel rather close-minded when I was not informed on others’ culture or customs, but this allowed me to learn so much about other people and countries while I was there!
What is your advice for someone considering your program?
I absolutely LOVED Buenos Aires!! This is a wonderful and unique program in the sense that you are able to meet people from all over and experience so many new cultures, which I think is very rare, as many people normally travel abroad with a group of Americans! The more open-minded you are and the more you say “yes” to trying new things, the better experience you’ll have. Before coming, be sure to work on your Spanish skills, and do your research on Argentine culture/customs, since it can be quite different from at home (they kiss for a greeting, share mate, eat dinner at 10 pm, etc). Also, Argentina’s economy can fluctuate A LOT… prices I paid were similar to US prices, but someone who would have gone in 2023 would probably pay less than half what I did. Understand their inflation situation and find the best way to exchange currency (you may need to bring a lot of cash).