Studying abroad in Córdoba, Argentina, was the most eye-opening experience that really helped transform my way of thinking. This experience was both extremely rewarding and challenging. Living in Córdoba, I was able to learn about Argentina's rich history, culture, and traditions. Most importantly, this experience helped me understand the value of cross-cultural experiences and relationships. 

The most rewarding parts of this experience was seeing my growth in my Spanish abilities, forming relationships with my professors, host family, and internship coworkers, and learning more about Argentinian culture and traditions through traveling. First and foremost, it was amazing seeing how I was able to go from not being able to form a sentence to being able to sit down with my host mom and have hour long conversations. This was such a milestone for many reasons; the first being that I was able to improve my Spanish speaking abilities, but the most important reason was that I was able to create an amazing bond with my host mom, and this was not easy. When I first got to Argentina, I understood that many people had many misconceptions about Muslims, mostly from the media, and my host mom was one of them. This made our preliminary conversations a bit awkward and uncomfortable, but after many of these conversations, we were both able to learn more about our perspectives and walks of life, which helped break down the power that these misconceptions had and turned these conversations into my favorite part of the day. Living with a host family helped me feel at home in a place so far from home. My host mom taught me how to make empanadas and I taught her how to make one of my favorite Palestinian cultural dishes, grape leaves. These were such amazing bonding experiences. 

Moreover, I was able to immerse myself within Argentinian culture and learn about the amazing traditions. With my host mom, I joined a folklore dance group and attended the peñas, which are folklore celebrations. Attending the dance group was amazing as I was able to meet so many amazing people and learn so many different types of folklore dances that will always stay with me. I learned the Gato, Zamba, and Chacarera and learned about their contributions to Argentinian history. Traveling around Argentina was another way that I immersed myself and learned more about the culture. With my friends, I visited the north of Argentina, Jujuy, the capital, Buenos Aires, Bariloche, and Mendoza. Each province had different landscapes, different cultural foods and traditions, and different dialects. This was amazing to experience as I was able to further understand Argentinian culture. 

During my time in Argentina, I was also able to reflect on who I am and who I want to be in the future. One thing I loved about Argentinians is their positivity and perspectives on life. While I lived there, inflation was at an all time high and there was a lot of political turmoil going on; however, everyone I spoke to had a beautiful outlook on life and no room for despair. For example, after a long day at the dispenario, they always ended the day with a dance party. This was despite everything going on at the dispensario, in the world, and in their personal lives. When I asked one of the nurses about this perspective she told me "we love to smile, laugh, and dance. It helps life's problems seem less intimidating." I loved that mindset because through all hardships, there is light at the end of the tunnel, we just need to remember that. My host mom always had great advice as well about how to live a fulfilling life. She always started her day with 30 minutes under the sun, and I soon started joining her too because she used to say " el sol es la vida y cada día necesitamos cuidar a nuestro cuerpo, entonces vamos a tomar el sol." The way my body and mind felt after starting my day with the sun makes me believe that my host mom was on to something. Lastly, all though the days seemed chaotic in Argentina, there was something also very simple and comforting about the days, which I loved and miss. 

Moreover, while working at Dispensario N 61, I had the opportunity to learn about the healthcare system and the values of the health care professionals in Argentina. This is something I will be taking with me as I continue my journey to become a health care professional. The interactions they had with their patients are very different than what we are used to in Argentina; however, the level of personal connection that the provider and patient have is something every health care professional should strive for. Personability in the medical field is something the US health care system lacks, but I saw first hand how big a difference that makes on healthcare outcomes. I learned more about how a healthcare system functions with universal healthcare exists and what the pros and cons look like in the system and learned about social determinants of health affecting individuals in Argentina. 

Living in Argentina helped me grow more comfortable in my skin and become hold tighter to my beliefs and values. Living in Argentina is different than living in the US because in general, there was less diversity and conforming to societal norms like drinking and partying is much more normal. Not partaking in these activities was looked down upon and although it was uncomfortable at first, I learned to do whatever it takes to be comfortable in who I am because that is an important component in living a happy, content life.  Above all, I learned to navigate language barriers and unfamiliar situations with patience and open-mindedness. These skills are very important and will be valuable in my personal and professional life. 

Reflecting on my study abroad experience in Córdoba, Argentina,  I am privileged to have gotten the opportunity to study abroad. I was able to reach my main goal, which was to improve my spanish speaking skills, but along the way I was also able to grow as a person and change my perspectives. Overall, I am extremely grateful for all the experiences I was able to live through and I returned home with so much gratitude and contentment.