As the final few days of my study abroad experience are winding down, I am coming to terms with the fact that I will be leaving Argentina in less than one week. There are so many feelings and words wound up inside me, as I wonder where time went. Somehow it flew by, and I am sad to say goodbye to the place I have fallen in love with and has become my new home.
Somehow three and a half months has passed me by faster than ever before. I remember talking about wanting to study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country in high school and thinking this trip was so far off in the future. I remember writing my article about my very first week living here over 15 weeks ago. Now, my study abroad experience is dwindling down to just a few hours.
There is no way for me to possibly describe everything I will miss, as there are probably things I don’t even realize I will miss until I’m gone. Among the things I know for sure I am already beginning to long for are the group of HWS students I am traveling with, my host family, and the breathtaking views of Argentine landscapes.
I have been lucky enough to spend the past three and a half months with a great group of talented, outgoing, enthusiastic individuals who made this trip amazing. Every Wednesday we would have dinner and movie nights at our professor’s apartment, drinking wine as we stuffed ourselves onto a tiny couch and laughed about our days. In Patagonia, we would sit by the fireplace after dinner and reminisce about the day’s events and how our bodies ached from what felt like 30 miles of hiking. I had the opportunity to get to know each and every student on this trip, and I am so thankful that I will be leaving this country with a group of twelve fabulous friends who share unforgettable memories with me.
More so, I am going to miss waking up in my house here, taking walks around my neighborhood, looking at the mountains, and coming home to a loving, caring family. My family here has been so supportive of me, even when I locked myself outside my own bedroom or left the house without an umbrella and got caught in a hailstorm. They have been guides, mentors, and dedicated parents. This family and this house will always hold a special place in my heart, and I know someday I will come back to visit.
I will miss all the ways in which this country surprises me. You never know what you will get here, from late buses to wild taxi drivers to earthquakes (I actually felt one!) to slabs of beef and endless glasses of wine for dinner. Argentina will always have more in store for me to explore, which I quickly learned after living in Mendoza for two weeks and after visiting Patagonia and seeing some of the most breathtaking views in my life.
As these next few days unfold, I promise to cherish every last moment in this beautiful place, alongside my close friends from HWS and my host family. I never thought this week would come so quickly, but now that it has, I am ready to appreciate every last little thing before I say goodbye.
