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- Lisa W. •
- Butler Argentina Program
• - General Management and Global Studies/Spanish Majors
“It
allowed me the time to really think about what I wanted, and
to really examine what I was doing.”
—Lisa W. |
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Lisa spent a semester during her sophomore year studying in Buenos Aires, the capitol city of Argentina. As a result of her trip, she decided to tailor her studies to an interest in non-profit work and immigration issues.
In Argentina, Lisa studied in two different universities: one public and one private. “Butler offered classes in five different universities, so I had a very large class list to choose from. It fit very well, it was very flexible with what I wanted to take, and there were a lot of offerings.” Lisa took business and Spanish courses to transfer into her program at the University of Minnesota. She thought that taking courses away from home helped her clarify what she wanted to do in terms of a career. “While I was there, I had a lot of time to think about what I wanted to do, where I was going, and why I was in business school. I decided that I wanted something more non-profit in orientation than what I was doing in Carlson, and I needed something outside of business. It allowed me the time to really think about what I wanted, and to really examine what I was doing.” Now Lisa is pursuing two degrees: one in general management, and another in global studies and Spanish.
Lisa experienced life in a new way in Argentina. She needed to find her own ways to enjoy the experience, make friends, and pursue interests. Three skills that Lisa developed in were communication, confidence, and flexibility. Not only did she improve her ability to speak Spanish, she also gained confidence in who she is as a person. Challenges from living with a host family to a cancelled university course helped her practice problem solving. She felt that these skills would help her in many aspects of her life. “Overall, I learned how to respect and appreciate what I have, which I think is very important in any position that you’re in, in life or in a job.”
Last modified on November 21, 2008 |