Study Abroad
A student’s experience in Latin America
By Leslie Dunstan

Being a Rotary Youth Exchange Ambassador in Córdoba, Argentina completely changed my life. The year I spent there preceding my arrival at Ohio State in the fall of 2001 is thus far the most rewarding experience I’ve ever had. Leaving my family, friends, and the life I knew to live in South America, where I didn’t know a soul or the language was frightening. But it was so worth it, because I gained invaluable life experience that I would not have been able to get out of a book or lecture.

Living in a foreign country is a challenging experience. For instance, I struggled with feeling left out when I didn’t understand a joke or a general question. Also, due to the opposite hemisphere, my body had to constantly acclimate to the opposite seasons, especially when I arrived in August and it was a bitterly cold winter! Not to mention the late eating schedule which took a huge toll on me. In general, though, my biggest challenge was living by the motto, “Nothing is ever bad or good, just different.” I knew it was vital to keep an open mind in order to get the most out of my year, and I didn’t want to succumb to comparisons that would divert me from truly appreciating the new world in front of me. After all, I had always dreamed of becoming an exchange student in the hopes of immersing myself in a new culture and language.

Thankfully, I was blessed with a host family who took me in as one of their own and even allowed me to work in their bakery, which helped me gain wonderful Spanish skills and let me have a great interaction with the Latino community. I also traveled throughout the country as part of my ambassadorial duties, giving speeches about the United States and meeting exchange students from as far east as Australia and India, all the way to México and France. I was also able to explore such diverse regions as Argentina’s premier wine producer, Mendoza, all the way to the thumping metropolitan capital, Buenos Aires.

Through my experience, I have become a stronger, smarter person who truly appreciates culture, food, and language. It also prepared me for college, because I knew right away that I wanted to continue to study Spanish, and I feel that college has always been easier for me because I had already learned how to adjust to new environments on a much larger scale.

I would highly encourage anyone to study abroad or at least to travel to a foreign country. The knowledge you will gain is priceless, and your life will truly change forever thanks to the people you will meet and the places you will see. Just as our academic advisors push for students to do internships in order to get a real, hands-on work experience, I would invite any student to step outside of his or her comfort zone, hop on that plane, and gain real life experience.Leslie Dunstan is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Spanish and a minor in International Studies of Latin America. She is a new member of the ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? team. Leslie can be reached at dunstan.4@osu.edu.