Modern Languages

Student Travel

Amy: Last Spring semester I got the opportunity to study abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Studying abroad ended up being one of the best things I could have ever done. I had the opportunity to live with a native Argentine family for 5 months and I was able to attend classes in both English and in Spanish at the private Universidad de Belgrano. It was the perfect culmination of culture, language, and learning.

During my trip I learned an immense amount about Argentine culture. I had the opportunity to see performances at the famous Teatro Colon, watch tango shows, drink mate tea (the Argentine drink of friendship), and visit many historic sites such as the Casa Rosada, where Eva Peron addressed thousands of her fans. In addition, I got the chance to travel the country and experience life outside of the city. My favorite trip was Iguazu Falls which is on the Argentine/Brazilian border.

The impact that living in a Spanish-speaking country had on my language skills was indispensable. Nothing helped me more than being able to talk with my family daily and having to depend on my Spanish in order to get around the city. The language classes were also a great experience because every teacher connected the conversational components with something about Argentine history or culture and we read the local newspaper daily. Additionally, I got to meet great people from many different colleges throughout the United States and I still have friends that I am in contact with today.

It was so easy to study abroad with MCLA and I had such a great experience that I encourage everybody to take part in some sort of abroad program. I found that there is no better way to understand a language than having to utilize your skills on a daily basis.

Seth: As a non-traditional student, I had never considered travel abroad as a real possibility until halfway through an Italian course during my second year at MCLA. Feeling confident in my understanding of the language, and having received encouragement from Prof. Ramsden, I decided to take the plunge and arrange for a four-week study-abroad course in Florence for the following summer.

Passport in hand, I disembarked at Florence's Amerigo Vespucci airport that July with much excitement and not a little hesitancy at the great unknown before me. This hesitancy subsided after settling into the beautiful apartment that I was sharing with three other Americans. My building was situated just a few blocks from the historic Ponte Vecchio and the wondrous Uffizi. We were graciously allotted one day to unwind before intensive language classes began.

Lorenzo de Medici, a school for Italian-language learners and foreign art students, would be my home away from home in Tuscany's capital city.Two teachers would drill our small group of students in grammar and engage us in conversation from 9 in the morning until around 1 in the afternoon.  In addition, the school provided its students ample opportunities for learning outside the classroom. Outings, dinners, and guided tours at museums gave us a better grasp of the culture and its history.

Many times after class, I would run over to the train station and grab a ride to another interesting town in Tuscany. I spent many fruitful hours wandering the byways of old Siena and exploring the hidden treasures of Lucca.

For most of the foreign students in Florence that summer, this was an extraordinary city in which to learn and explore. Whether you are majoring in Art History or Geography, my impression is that your trip abroad also will be an enriching experience - linguistically, culturally - and one that perfectly complements a liberal arts education.

Jesse: With a background in Spanish from school and cultural experiences in southern Mexico, I decided to go on a study-abroad semester in Peru or Ecuador. I toured Peru when I arrived on March 6th, some weeks before my classes would begin.  We hiked the Camino Inca to Macchu Picchu for 4 days; observed penguins, sea lions, and boobies on guano islands; saw amazing incaic ruins; bargained for crafts in markets; enjoyed bountiful but inexpensive food, especially ceviche; and were immersed into the rich social traditions.

My semester began with excitement for new friends and the classes of Peruvian culture, history and art I was enrolled in.  School-sponsored tours brought us to a different archaeological sites, museums and natural wonders every week.  The professor, Gonzalo, was famous for being a host for a history program on television.  Everywhere we went, it seemed there were screaming fans following us!  It was a challenge that most of my classes were all done in Spanish, but I relished the excitement of being in an exchange program and learning everything from  the beginning.  I spent much time with my Peruvian family, getting to know their two young children and involving myself in new activities like soccer!

The only thing about travelling I didn't like was living in the city.  I had never lived in a city before, and was not used to the constant pollution.  So I went to Ecuador and while in Ecuador, I became certified as a scuba diver, and  I learned a whole other culture.

This was a life-changing experience, because it took me so far away from home, and showed me such a rich diversity of life.  Peru has it all: the desert, mountains, puna (high tundra), and jungle.  I was at home with the most generous people from a wide array of cultures.  Peru has so many indigenous languages, a diverse culture and beautiful crafts.

Myles: I'll admit it: coming back from Argentina was hard.  There I was for 5 months; living in the huge, metropolitan, internationally-flavored city of Buenos Aires.  I lived with an eccentric, kind-hearted host mother and a shy but always curious 10-year-old host sister.  I was enrolled in the renowned private university.  Universidad de Belgrano, and took classes in Spanish and English as part of my quest to fluency.

The first month I was there, I enrolled in an intensive Spanish class for five hours-a-day, five days-a-week.  My Spanish skyrocketed that first month.  I continued on with Spanish classes for my semester, and realized that I never could have learned any language with immersion.  Patricia, my host mom, made each nights' dinner a lesson in Spanish.  By hearing, speaking, and grammatically learning Spanish in a classroom, I was able to understand and finally get a grip on a foreign language.

And the people I met, combined with the places I was able to go, made the experience so incredible.  I met so many warm, open-minded, beautiful people from all over the U.S. and Argentina.  MCLA really helped me be able to travel around the country by giving me a refund check at the tail end of my stay.  I paraglided in Mendoza, a wine producing city on the Chilean border, and felt the rush of boating uder a waterfall at Iguazu on the Braziliann border.  But the most rewarding experience of all was the last week I was in Argentina.  I traveled, all alone down to El Calafate to see the Perito Moreno glacier.  From there I bussed to El Chalten, a small, blustery town that looked like a scene from the Lord of the Rings and hiked along Mt. Fitz Roy.  I continued on to Puerto Madryn to see the ecological variety presented by the Valdes Peninsula, watching the Southern Right Whale migrate while sitting on the beach.  All the while, I stayed in hostels and met people from around the world. 

Studying abroad made me more adaptable, confident, focused, independent, and humble.  I realized I can make community no matter where I go.  I did it: I traveled alone for 5 months in a strange new country, made life-changing new friends, and discovered corners of the earth I never thought possible!  To study abroad is to leave the microcosm of campus and immerse yourself into a new world stage.  Now I'm back, refreshed, and ready to continue my education so one day I can find a career that enables me to travel the world.