Jennifer Hoffmann's OGA Scholarship Testimonial

My name is Jennifer Hoffmann and I never thought I’d be able to say this, but I studied abroad in Buenos Aires in Early Fall quarter 2018. I grew up with 4 siblings and my dad was the only working parent. That being said, we didn’t travel much further than our backyard.

When I received the email notifying me that I received the OGA Study Abroad Scholarship, I honestly felt like crying because I was able to cover my flight to and from Argentina, which was a huge expense for me. The whole experience, from realizing I’d actually be able to make this experience happen to arriving in Buenos Aires, was surreal. For students like me that think study abroad is completely out of the realm of possibility, you should think again. Study abroad can be made possible; it just takes a little bit of work, but, oh, is it worth it!

For some, growing up travelling with your family is the norm, but in either case, when you study abroad, you are on your own. This experience allows you to figure out your strengths and weaknesses without anyone telling you how to react or how to feel about them. It really is an enlightening experience, one in which I discovered how comfortable I felt in a foreign place alone, but also when I realized my anxieties of communicating with someone who spoke no English. The idea that you are alone with these feelings allows you to resolve them, or at least understand them to a greater extent. If any of this scares you, just remember you are with classmates. In my case, our group got along extremely well and we created long-lasting friendships within and outside of the group.

However, one piece of advice I would give to anyone planning on studying abroad is to not cling to your classmates. I was guilty of this for the first few days, but once you go off on your own to do your own research or activities you further separate yourself from the familiar. Also, the youth hostel we stayed in helped make the trip incredible since we stayed with people from all over the world. There we were able to have guidance about the city and were always provided with fun activities to participate in. The entire trip made me hungry for travel. I now understand that many people likely don’t travel internationally due to fear, and now that I’ve experienced it, I know that I can do it.

My lifelong goal of traveling is going to happen, and I have my trip to Buenos Aires to thank for that.