Hi! I’m Juliet, and I am studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina this fall.
Many DU students I know are studying abroad, but I was one of the first of my friends to leave since the Southern Hemisphere operates on a different school schedule. I flew to Argentina on July 29, leaving everything I knew behind. To my surprise, during the weeks leading up to my departure, I wasn’t feeling the nerves. I completed everything on my to-do list: acquire a visa, purchase a universal adapter, and wire money to myself to pick up in Argentina. I gradually said goodbye to each of my friends and assured my family I’d write often. But otherwise, I continued on as normal until the day I left. Somehow the idea that I was completely upending my life for four months never fully kicked in; I felt suspended in a state of limbo, not yet fully understanding what I was about to throw myself into.
I think my lack of fear can be attributed to my lack of research beforehand. I knew a little about Argentina’s cultural, political, and economic landscape. I could speak Spanish fairly well. I knew my flight number and how to get to my host family’s home from the airport. But I chose not to scour Argentine travel books or blogs because I knew this would only make me more anxious than necessary. What would happen, would happen, and there was no way I could completely prepare myself for life in Buenos Aires.
When it came time to leave, I had breakfast with my boyfriend, said a very sad goodbye at the airport, and was on my way. It wasn’t until I had checked my bag that I truly realized I was about to embark on a journey across the world. You could say the nerves set in then.
Suddenly, I was rushed by a million what-ifs: what if I didn’t like Buenos Aires? What if my Spanish wasn’t good enough? What if people weren’t friendly? What if I’d left the stove on at home?
On and on the worries went. I wondered if I’d made the right decision. But as the plane sped down the runway, hurtling toward a world utterly unknown, I began to think: what if I did like Buenos Aires? What if I loved it more than I could ever have imagined? What if I made friends for life? What if I grew as a student, a citizen, as an individual?
I’ll just have to find out.
DU Abroad 