Lis and Sarah: A Tale of Two Roomies, From UC Davis to Argentina
Holis! We are Lis and Sarah and we are two fourth year students from UC Davis (Go Ags!) and we recently completed a study abroad semester program covering Human Rights and Cultural Memory in Argentina and Chile. As proud daughters of immigrants and first generation college students, we know how scary the idea of studying abroad can be, so we wanted to share our experience to help ease any doubts and to encourage more students like us to go abroad!
How was it learning about Argentina’s history while abroad?
Learning about the history and culture of a country other than the US was honestly so amazing. In a sense, it felt as if we were decolonizing our education. Growing up, we were taught so much history that revolved around the US and colonial empires, and while there was brief mention on how they interacted with countries in the Southern Hemisphere, it was never really in depth. It was very valuable to us to learn about the dictatorship and the justice system from people who lived and experienced it first hand. Furthermore, going to memorial sites and hearing the experiences of survivors had a big impact on us because it helped emphasize how recent everything was and the need to continue to pursue justice for the victims and their families. As students who major in Sociology and International Relations, we learn a lot about society and how there are so many injustices and horrible things that happen, but seeing how active and involved both older and newer generations are in fighting for the truth, justice, and memory of Argentina brought a renewed sense of hope for the future. We were able to go walk with the Madres de La Plaza de Mayo on one occasion and we saw posters that were not only about the desaparecidos, but also about femicides and other injustices at the time. It showed us the importance of community and making sure that the past is never forgotten so that it is not repeated. Furthermore, we got to learn from amazing professors who had so much knowledge and passion about what they were teaching, and who had other jobs dedicated to justice, peace, and politics. That made our education abroad so much more significant.
How did you find the immersion into Argentinian culture?
One of the most appealing parts of this study abroad program was the immersive aspect. We are both native Spanish speakers and grew up in the US primarily within Mexican culture, which is one of the most important parts of our identities. We were extremely excited to get to experience new history, language, food, and other customs. Even as native speakers, it was challenging adapting to a new accent and being completely surrounded by a Spanish language that is different from Mexican Spanish. It pushed us towards a new perspective, one where we wished to absorb as much information. This is why the Expanish courses were super valuable to us! We were able to learn Argentinian sentence structures, pronunciation, spelling, and grammar. This helped us when communicating with our host and people we met during our everyday interactions (the conversations with strangers were some of our favorite). Being with a host parent was also a unique experience for us. It was scary at first because we hadn’t lived with anyone besides family and friends before, but this experience is what truly immersed us in Argentinian customs. Especially speaking about the food! Both of us are big foodies and love home-cooked meals. Meals and conversation at our host home were a great way to learn about firsthand experiences and hear stories from a local.
Describe some of the feelings that arose during your semester studying abroad?
Studying abroad was one of the most wonderful and rewarding experiences. Our days were spent in two different classes: Human Rights and Memory, and Human Rights, Politics, and Culture in Argentina. What we learned in these courses was heavy and complex, both at an institutional and personal level. It was sad learning about the trauma and suffering that happened in Argentina. We also experienced a great deal of guilt. Being first-generation college students also means being the first in our families to get to experience things like this. We felt so fortunate to be able to take our education and experience it in a different country. We remember hearing/seeing other parents come to visit their kids during/after the program, which we loved for them, but there were also some feelings of sadness and jealousy that our parents couldn’t do the same. Although this was a new feeling, it was also something that brought people together. We were able to talk about this guilt and discomfort, and turn it into pride and determination to move ahead and show our parents the gratitude we have for their sacrifices.
Is there anything you would do differently before going abroad to study?
Argentina is full of accessible exploring, so we would attend museums for free, visit parks, and shop in nearby artisan fairs. Budgeting was our greatest friend while studying abroad, and as we both had to independently fund our trip we couldn’t do much traveling around Latin America. We both work part time jobs and tried our best to raise money for this because we knew we wanted to explore and buy as many souvenirs as we could! We see it as a blessing that Buenos Aires has a good public transportation system that allows us to get around the city relatively cheaply. However, we both agree that the one thing we would do differently is apply to more scholarships and work more in order to have a freer experience!
Describe some of the feelings that arose during your semester studying abroad?
Studying abroad was one of the most wonderful and rewarding experiences. Our days were spent in two different classes: Human Rights and Memory, and Human Rights, Politics, and Culture in Argentina. What we learned in these courses was heavy and complex, both at an institutional and personal level. It was sad learning about the trauma and suffering that happened in Argentina. We also experienced a great deal of guilt. Being first-generation college students also means being the first in our families to get to experience things like this. We felt so fortunate to be able to take our education and experience it in a different country. We remember hearing/seeing other parents come to visit their kids during/after the program, which we loved for them, but there were also some feelings of sadness and jealousy that our parents couldn’t do the same. Although this was a new feeling, it was also something that brought people together. We were able to talk about this guilt and discomfort, and turn it into pride and determination to move ahead and show our parents the gratitude we have for their sacrifices.
Is there anything you would do differently before going abroad to study?
Argentina is full of accessible exploring, so we would attend museums for free, visit parks, and shop in nearby artisan fairs. Budgeting was our greatest friend while studying abroad, and as we both had to independently fund our trip we couldn’t do much traveling around Latin America. We both work part time jobs and tried our best to raise money for this because we knew we wanted to explore and buy as many souvenirs as we could! We see it as a blessing that Buenos Aires has a good public transportation system that allows us to get around the city relatively cheaply. However, we both agree that the one thing we would do differently is apply to more scholarships and work more in order to have a freer experience!
How did Expanish shape your experience?
Expanish truly became our second home during our time in Argentina! We were there so often that we became besties with the Expanish team. They are some of the friendliest people, and we felt so comfortable and safe being there. We loved the student activities and outings, which gave us some structure when exploring the history and culture of Argentina. The Expanish study center is also such a beautiful place to sit and study at, or just chill after a long day getting around the city. One of the main reasons we loved being at Expanish is because - unlike at most cafes around the city (which are wonderful!) - we liked having a space where we weren’t required to purchase a drink in order to study! They also have lovely cookie jars that are always full. We also became close with Isa who works maintaining the lovely Expanish building. We both grew up with close family members working in maintaining homes and facilities, and because we felt at home there we held such great appreciation for Isa taking a part of her busy day to talk and check in on us. It became a routine to update her on what we had seen and been learning. Another person who shaped our experience was our amazing Expanish teacher Rosana, who really helped integrate us into the culture from a local’s perspective. This is the unexpected thing that came from this experience, we made such lovely connections with Expanish that will be remembered forever. (We love you, Jiovih, Isa, and Rosana!). We know for sure that if you attend any study abroad program with Expanish, you will make long-lasting friendships and connections.
Find our more about our study abroad programs, including our new semester programs, now available in Spain, Argentina and Costa Rica.
