How My Semester Abroad Helped Me Grow as a Student 

Last spring semester, I studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In this photoset, I have included various photos and snapshots of my experience abroad; my time in the classroom, the people and peers I met, as well as sights from throughout my travels. I am highlighting these experiences abroad and how they relate to my academic and professional goals, and an insight into where my journey and course choices led me.  

One thing many people think is that studying abroad will put you behind in classes. In my program with CEA CAPA, one thing I appreciated was that all the classes I took counted towards my degree. 

I had the chance to take part in many excursions with CEA CAPA, this one being in Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay. Enriching cultural experiences like these are what kept me learning more about other cultures and being an open-minded individual. 

As someone studying engineering as well as Spanish, I had the opportunity to take technical courses that would further progress towards my degree, also while taking Spanish courses and improving my language skills through immersion. As I study industrial engineering, I was incredibly interested in taking courses that were offered on this program, such as international business, data analytics, and mathematics—relevant courses that counted as electives under my major.  

Outside of the classroom, we took part in many excursions around the city to link what we were learning to real-world scenarios and travel throughout Buenos Aires. Pictured is Globant Tower, a building we visited and where we got to tour the company.

One of these field trips as mentioned included visiting Globant, one of Argentina’s largest companies, where we spoke with a professional regarding AI and marketing strategies. 

Industrial engineering incorporates elements of not only a typical engineering curriculum, but also focuses on business, logistics, and many other topics; studying abroad with CEA CAPA was an excellent opportunity to expand my knowledge. 

During another field trip for class, we visited Barrio Chino (Chinatown) in Buenos Aires to learn about marketing and product advertising, comparing global differences of products at stores. 

CEA CAPA made the courses captivating and engaging for students; not only through a traditional classroom setting but also through trips around the city, visiting speakers, and relevant projects.  

In the classroom, we had several guest speakers visit as part of our international business class. Here, we had Lorena Valente Pagani, who is a family member of Horacio Pagani, founder and CEO of the famous automotive company. 

Another visitor came to our class to present on global logistics and marine traffic, something very applicable and interesting to me, as someone studying industrial engineering. 

In addition to taking courses at CEA CAPA, I did volunteer work as part of an independent study course with my university. CEA CAPA’s flexibility and personalization towards each student was something I greatly enjoyed.  

One of the organizations I volunteered with was Ingeniería Sin Fronteras Argentina. I had the chance to not only learn practical engineering skills and work towards a greater cause, but also apply my Spanish skills working with other individuals. 

During my time abroad, I had the opportunity to travel throughout Argentina as well! Observing and learning about cultures other than my own was an incredibly enriching experience and is beneficial to everyone. 

During my free time I loved to explore Buenos Aires and learn about the rich history of Argentina. Here pictured is Plaza del Congreso, the heart of the nation where many historical events and demonstrations have taken place. 

Outside of the classroom, it’s still incredibly important to stay learning and try new things. During our CEA CAPA trip to Iguazú Falls, me and my friends in the program did a boat ride down below the waterfalls. It was an amazing experience and I had a great time.