Semester Abroad: South America
- LoAroundTheGlobo
- Feb 17, 2019
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 21
Spring 2016
I always joke that I come back a little more heartless from every trip because I leave a piece of my heart everywhere I go. Oh boy, was that true for my semester abroad in Argentina. I’d wanted to study there for two main reasons: (1) I’d studied Spanish for so long it was time to put it to the test, and (2) South America was next on my quest to explore all seven continents.
After locking in my exchange through USC, I got a random message from another American girl in the program looking for roommates. That girl was Emma from Palo Alto—and thanks to her, I spent four-plus months living in a three-story loft in one of the coolest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires: Palermo Soho.
Our international girl gang consisted of Emma, Jackie (Chicago), Brielle (Connecticut and fellow Gamecock), Rebecca (New York), and our honorary sixth roommate, Kelli (Washington State), who often crashed on our couch when her host family’s quiet hours cramped her style. Our loft had a red door off Uriarte Street, directly next to a market where we bought bottles of wine, cheese, and fruit on an almost comical daily rotation. Palermo Soho was hip, charming, cobblestoned, and full of bars, shops, and color. It felt like our own slice of paradise. I even joined a gym and walked to spin class a few times a week like the local I thought I was.
One memory that’s burned into my brain is the chaos of learning the bus system. Once we got the hang of it, we rode that Red Line 39 everywhere—to school, City Center, monuments, museums. But it wasn't always glamorous. Sometimes it showed up late in the pouring rain; other times, we stood packed shoulder-to-shoulder gripping the rails as it lurched through traffic. And once, someone snatched Jackie’s phone right out of her hand and sprinted off the bus. We watched in shock as the doors closed behind him. Traumatizing.
Our program was in City Center near Recoleta and the Obelisco—a huge, pencil-like monument marking Argentina’s founding. I loved my classes, adored my professors, and especially enjoyed our field trips to local museums and business hubs that brought Latin American economics to life. When one professor suddenly lost her father, we’d only known her a month, yet her impact was so strong that we immediately put together a card and a goodie basket for her.
Early on, our program took us on a bus tour of the city: La Boca with its tango dancers, rainbow buildings, and fresh juices; La Casa Rosada (the Pink House) at Plaza de Mayo; Puente de la Mujer (the Woman’s Bridge), an architectural stunner over the port; and the ecological reserve separating the Rio de la Plata from the gleaming financial district.
We also took weekend trips, including one to Mendoza—home of Malbec and stunning Andes views. We sipped wine, rode horses, hiked toward Aconcagua, and picnicked with classmates in the soft grass beneath the mountains. It was a dream.
Time started flying after that. My roommates and I planned a trip to Uruguay for Carnaval. We ferried to Montevideo, explored for a day, then took a wobbly double-decker bus to Punta del Este. The bus dropped us on a dirt road in blazing heat with no cell service and zero idea where to go. Eventually we found our tiny Airbnb hut—which slept maybe six but housed twelve of us thanks to creative hammock placement.
Not knowing locals celebrated Carnaval with water-gun fights, we thought we were being attacked when people sprayed us with foam. A waitress kindly informed us it was actually a warm welcome. So we embraced it—armed ourselves with water guns, foam spray, and literal buckets—and joined the chaos. It became one of my favorite travel memories ever.
During spring break, my grandma and mom visited. We toured Recoleta Cemetery (Eva Perón’s home afterlife), attended Fuerza Bruta (interactive Cirque du Soleil chaos—my grandma became a star), and even ventured to the infamous Luján Zoo after a hilariously long struggle to find the entrance. It let visitors inside the enclosures with lions, tigers, and bears… which at the time felt magical. Later, realizing the animals were clearly sedated and mistreated, it became a regret. Insane photos? Yes. Worth it? Not even close.
After Grandma flew home, Mom and I headed south to Ushuaia, Patagonia—El Fin del Mundo, the End of the World. One hike involved me buying a heavy new coat I did not need because, naturally, the day of the trek turned out to be the second-hottest day of the year. We ended in tank tops, cracking up that the one time I was prepared for cold, Patagonia chose summer.
We spent our days exploring glaciers, lakes, and waterfalls, spotting penguins on pebble beaches, and befriending the sweetest taxi driver who doubled as our photographer. Nights were spent in tiny pubs, watching the ocean from our hotel, and wandering Ushuaia’s adorable downtown. I also got another visitor a few weeks later—my friend Sam. While I went to class, he explored the city like a pro. Together we visited the Japanese Gardens, the MALBA, and countless plazas, and introduced him to Buenos Aires’ legendary nightlife, which famously ends at sunrise and is fueled by EDM loud enough to rearrange your thoughts.
Throughout the semester, my friends and I lived it up—soccer games with locals, boating trips, amusement parks, tango shows, Chinatown, asados (Argentine barbecues), movies on our tiny sofa, gnocchi nights, and swapping clothes and secrets like sisters.
We also hit Lollapalooza in San Isidro. A couple nights before the festival, we dined in the same speakeasy as Mumford & Sons and Of Monsters and Men, then somehow ended up taking several of the British band members to an Irish pub for St. Patrick’s Day. Festival day itself was hilarious because we dressed in classic American festival outfits—braids, glitter, ridiculous prints—only to realize all the Argentinians wore normal clothes. We definitely stood out, but we danced it off to Florence + The Machine, Skrillex, and Deadmau5.
We saw Lauryn Hill in concert one weekend, and on another, visited Iguazú Falls—one of the most magnificent places I’ve ever seen. Our Airbnb had a straw roof and a pool. On the Argentine side, we wandered misty trails and rafted right up to the base of the falls. On the Brazilian side… well, that’s when things got sketchy. Because I didn’t have a Brazilian visa, Brazilian border officers demanded we pay a hefty “fee” to re-enter Argentina. After pooling all our cash and handing it over, our taxi driver sped away in silence. We eventually laughed about it. Eventually.
Toward the end of the semester, we visited Colonia del Sacramento with our program—a charming, historic city in Uruguay. The ferry back to Buenos Aires was delayed for hours in sweltering heat with hundreds of angry tourists, but honestly it felt on-brand for our chaotic travel luck.
One of my favorite side trips was to Santiago and Valparaíso, Chile. Valpo stole my heart with its murals, flowers, ocean views, and friendly people. We surfed in a rainstorm, explored colorful alleys, and brunch’d like royalty. I even learned to drive a tiny manual car through narrow streets while cheering locals watched me stall my way through town.
As the semester wrapped up, my roommates and I took one last emotional trip to Mar del Plata. We spent the weekend laughing, reflecting, and trying to accept that our perfect little bubble was bursting. We promised to stay close—and many of us did.
In the end, I left South America with 15 credits, a dozen new friends, countless memories, and almost zero dollars. Worth it? Every penny. Studying in Buenos Aires pushed me far outside my comfort zone, sharpened my Spanish, opened my worldview, and showed me parts of myself I didn’t know existed. In 4.5 months, I visited multiple regions of Argentina, Uruguay twice, Chile once, and Brazil once (questionably). I explored cities, beaches, mountains, vineyards, tiny towns, and everything in between.
And the best part? The friendships stuck. Different groups of us have reunited in cities across the U.S., and I’ve stayed especially close with two of my roommates—traveling together to Vegas, Park City, Chicago, Seattle, and Mexico, and celebrating their weddings with full-circle nostalgia for the semester that brought us together.
My heart may be scattered across continents… but wow, what a beautiful way to lose it!
Gallery
To Do or Not To Do?
If my answer wasn’t already painfully obvious: yes, a million times yes. My time exploring the southern stretches of South America was one of the most incredible and transformative experiences of my life. I’d wholeheartedly recommend that anyone even remotely interested dive headfirst into the vibrant cultures of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, or Brazil.Pro tip, though: secure a legit Brazil visa. Trust me. And build in enough time to actually soak up the local culture instead of speed-running through it.
Final note: if you love dogs even a tenth as much as I do, this is your place. We’d spot dog-walkers wrangling what felt like entire herds—sometimes 15 pups at once—moving as one giant, wiggly, leash-tangled unit. It was hysterical, and one of those random little memories I still cherish from this truly special adventure abroad.
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