CIEE Latin America Fellow Spotlight: Mara Jacobsen
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Meet the CIEE Leading Change in Latin America Student Fellows!
Follow along as CIEE sends 100 student leaders on a fully-funded semester abroad through the CIEE Leading Change in Latin America Fellowship. In this series, we spotlight Fellows as they immerse themselves in Latin American culture, grow as leaders, and prepare to make an impact worldwide.
Name: Mara Jacobsen
School: Babson College
LATAM Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Q1: What does it mean to you to engage with Latin America as a “learner” rather than a “visitor?”
To me, the opportunity to engage as a learner is so much more than just studying abroad. It is immersing myself in the culture, experiencing new things, and being part of something that is greater than myself. I am so truly grateful that I have the opportunity to not only study here but have the freedom and independence to do simple things here such as grocery shopping, as that alone is a unique experience to have in another country. I find myself learning from natives, from my professors and peers, and myself, which I absolutely love and is teaching me more than I could’ve ever imagined.
Watch here: Mara shows off the gorgeous art in La Boca
Q2: How does your background or personal identity shape your interest in Latin America?
Ever since I knew I wanted to study abroad, I knew I wanted to go somewhere different. Somewhere that I would not have the opportunity to travel to casually, but somewhere I knew I could immerse myself in the culture of. This led me to Latin America, and I was so drawn to the culture of Argentina and specifically Buenos Aires that it was a no-brainer for me. I have been studying the Spanish language since the 1st grade and continued all the way through college. While I am not pursuing a career in the language study itself, I knew I wanted it to be an integral part of my life – and what better way to do so than by living and learning here for 4+ months.
Q3: What local foods are you most excited to try?
One of my absolute favorite foods on this planet are empanadas. Before my trip, I had only had ones from other cultures, never an Argentinian one, so I was super excited to try them here. I also love chorizo and hot dogs, and I think I am super excited to try Choripan because it is a happy mix of the two. One of my favorite things to do while traveling abroad is to try authentic foods, and I think that being here I will have so many opportunities to do so which I am very excited about.
Q4: What inspired you to apply for the CIEE Leading for Change in Latin America Student Fellowship?
As a person who goes to a school where so many students study abroad, very few students opt to study in South America. While this choice was a super easy decision for me, I have noticed that this choice is not the most common one. I want to inspire more students to feel passionate about studying abroad somewhere different, somewhere they can immerse themselves in the culture more and learn more about somewhere different. I also want people to know how incredible this city is, and how much fun it is to study here.
Watch here: Mara shares her weekend trip to Iguazú Falls
Q5: What do you hope to learn (academically, culturally, and/or personally) while studying abroad?
I study business at my home university, and while it is amazing, we primarily focus on American businesses. I would love to learn more about international companies and how they operate, and how business is conducted here. I would also love to learn more about myself during this experience, as it is my first time living in an apartment and having the freedom to do new things in a new city. I think that having this opportunity to not only travel solo but to have a support system here while doing so is what makes me feel so comfortable, and I could not imagine doing things any differently.
Study Abroad in Latin America
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