Iguazu Falls with Fran Burns

Iguazu Falls

Swimming under the falls

My experience in Buenos Aires was easily the best thing I have ever done, and I will love sharing it with anyone and everyone who will listen as long as I live. I couldn’t have asked for a better fit for my personality or a better study abroad experience.
I am a firm believer in the power of immersion to improve language acquisition, but beyond that, I didn’t realize how at home one could feel in a culture that isn’t “theirs.” Now, however, I feel like a part of my heart will always be in Buenos Aires, because I got to love not only their way of speaking and expressing, but also the people and what they stand for. The world moves slower down there, and I feel they take the time to enjoy life more fully, which is something I have often felt lacking in my life in the U.S. I felt a simultaneous peace and excitement for life that I hadn’t really felt before.
In terms of specific experiences, one of the things I remember most vividly from my time in South America was our trip to Iguazu Falls, on the border of Argentina and Brasil. Being in such a naturally beautiful place with some of the best people I will ever meet was a true blessing. It reminds me that the most valuable experiences often occur outside the classroom, and the majority of the “learning” I did during my trip abroad was not under the instruction of professors, but occurred while experiencing the vast array of people and places that life has to offer. The most valuable thing I brought away from my trip was realizing that, while the world is huge, it becomes smaller once you let go of all inhibitions and let yourself become a part of it. It is because of this trip that I have the confidence to be able to au pair in Madrid this coming January!!