Hopkins offers study programs across the globe in places such as France, London, Italy, Spain, Australia, China, the Czech Republic and Argentina. With countless options, how does one choose where to spend their semester abroad? For many International Relations and Romance Language majors, South America has become a popular destination.
Through Hopkins' program in Latin American Studies, a student can spend a semester or their summer in the bustling city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It's the largest city and the capital of Argentina offers a hospitable atmosphere where intellectuals can attend poetry readings and art exhibits and socialites can go to the theater and dance the night away at tango clubs.
For International Relations major Jessica McKenzie, Argentina was at the top of her list. The Hopkins senior spent her spring semester in Buenos Aires and discovered a "different type of people: very community based, generous, and willing to have a conversation with complete strangers." As a foreign student, McKenzie felt extremely welcome. She found that people were particularly interested in discussing her studies in their beloved homes.
Lucky enough to experience the World Cup in a country with outstanding nationalism, McKenzie raves, "I've never seen such passion for the World Cup. They had true love for their team and such appreciation for the players; you just don't find that here in the U.S. so it was cool to experience that." Who wouldn't want to visit this city with a community so passionate for enjoying life?
Hopkins Junior Makibi Takagi, who spent six weeks of his summer in Argentina through the program of Latin American Studies, recalls his favorite event during his stay. Takagi recounts a tango show he attended at a relatively famous but suprisingly intimate caf8e, "There were only 40 people in the audience and three musicians, a pianist, accordion player and string bassist. I figured it would only be music and dancing, but there was a crazy male singer who told hilarious stories and jokes." Latin American customs allowed for "a very audience-involving show that made everyone sing along to this really famous tango in Spanish and even asked one of the girls in our group to sing but she was way too shy!" It's no wonder where their enthusiasm comes from; the tango was born in the suburbs of Buenos Aires.
Senior Altair Peterson also enjoyed the South American climate this summer and couldn't speak more highly of how well the Hopkins program was planned and executed, especially for a student who did not speak any Spanish. Peterson recalls the active nightlife in particular. "The nightlife was amazing. Clubs didn't open until two in the morning so we would sit around in bars until they opened. We would search for spots that we really enjoyed and meet other American students all over the place. One of the group members lived with a family who had Argentinean brothers our age who loved to take us out and introduce us to people." Both students couldn't get enough of the different customs that Argentina had to offer.
Within the program each student is immersed into the culture and lives of an Argentine family. "Their cultural differences and style of living made a big impression on me," McKenzie said. Nightlife is extremely prominent and "socializing always took place outside of the home since it is customary for children to live with their families even after they get married," she continues.
Students are also required to take several courses emphasizing Argentine literature, culture, history and politics at local universities such as the National University of San Martin. Along with the stimulating classes taught in Spanish, lectures are offered by faculty, writers, artists and various guest intellectuals. There is a considerable amount of learning done outside of the classroom; field trips are taken to historic sites and students frequent numerous fairs and festivals that take place during their stay. Cultural events play a monumental role in Argentine life, which is rounded out by notable literature (Jorge Luis Borges is a native of the city) and family values. With such a prominently welcoming and community-based culture, one would be foolish not to consider a semester or summer abroad in Buenos Aires.
To find out more about the Hopkins program in Latin American Studies please visit:
http://web.jhu.edu/plas
