A CAPA Alumna Interview: Rebecca Knight

Meet Rebecca Knight, a Speech Pathology and Spanish major at the University of Pittsburgh who studied abroad in Buenos Aires during spring 2017. Below, she talks about what it's like to live in a homestay, what it's like to volunteer in another country, and shares her top 3 tips for anyone heading to Buenos Aires.

CAPA WORLD: Tell us a bit about yourself.
RK: My name is Rebecca! I’m a junior at the University of Pittsburgh studying Speech Pathology and Spanish. This Spring I studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina in order to further my Spanish speaking skills. I’m very involved in the Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) at my university, spend time volunteering, and love to read, travel, and spend time with my friends!

Before you travel to the capital of Argentina, we’re here to inform you of a few interesting facts about one of our great global cities!

Photo in background by Gary Hunter

1. Average Temperature

The average temperature in Buenos Aires is 60 degrees Fahrenheit year round.  In the winter months (June- August) the average temperature is just over 50 degrees, and in the summer (December- February) it is just over 80 degrees with high humidity. Be sure to pack shorts and bathing suits!

Sally Rountree is an official CAPA blogger for summer 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Sociology major and Public Health minor at Simmons College, she is studying abroad in Buenos Aires on a custom program this semester.

In her last post, Sally tells us why she thinks study abroad is something every student should do.

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Study abroad is a very different experience that can help develop your outlook on the world. Even though you will still be taking classes while you are abroad, it is very unlike your regular college life. It may also provide perspective on your area of study that you can’t quite get in a regular classroom. I think study abroad can be a really great opportunity to expand anyone’s education, and I recommend it.

Sally Rountree is an official CAPA blogger for summer 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Sociology major and Public Health minor at Simmons College, she is studying abroad in Buenos Aires on a custom program this semester.

In this week's post, Sally tells us the 10 things she thinks are most important to have a successful study abroad experience.

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Studying abroad is extremely exciting, wherever you decide to go. Everything is new and interesting. I chose my study abroad location based on the programs available, so I did not know much about Buenos Aires before I decided to come here. No matter how much research was done before coming here, it was still a surprise. Taking a class while I was here instead of just visiting the city has also expanded my perceptions of Buenos Aires. It’s been a great experience so far and taking a class while I am here has been really helpful in understanding the culture. I strongly recommend anyone who gets the chance to study abroad, sign up!

While you are studying abroad, there are some things you should make sure to do!

1. Learn the Language

Elizabeth Withers is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A double major in English literature and history & philosophy of science at the University of Pittsburgh, she is studying abroad in Buenos Aires this semester.

In her last post, Elizabeth reflects on her favorite places in Buenos Aires and what she learned during her semester abroad.

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My time abroad has finally come to an end, and after a 20-odd hour plane ride and a few days at home unpacking, getting my job back, and reconnecting with family and friends, I’ve had some time to adjust to life in Pittsburgh.  Leaving and coming back always makes me see my hometown, and the US in general, through a slightly different lens.  This time, I noticed how plain and sparse the skyscrapers downtown seemed compared with the architecture of Buenos Aires.  Riding through the city on my way home from the airport, I passed by some of the various restaurants, bars, and boats I’d worked long hours in over the past few years, and began to reflect on yet another way the study abroad experience has influenced me: my career goals.

Photo: Buenos Aires from the airplane window.  I’ll miss you!

Sally Rountree is an official CAPA blogger for summer 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Sociology major and Public Health minor at Simmons College, she is studying abroad in Buenos Aires on a custom program this semester.

In this week's post, Sally tells us what she learned in her first class, and how she observes the city because of it.

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When I first walked into Universidad Austral in Buenos Aires I was amazed that I would be taking classes in such a beautiful building. As soon as you walk in there is a large round entrance way with gold trimmings around multiple paintings. The ceiling is a large dome that doesn’t look like it belongs in a school. Even though I have been here for a whole week I still stop to look at the entranceway every time I walk in. I am studying public health, so classes involve a lot of discussions about culture, economics, politics, history, and health structures. Our very first class at CAPA started off with a guest lecturer who spent three hours talking about Argentina’s history. The class was riveting and I took six pages of handwritten notes.

Argentina has a rather tumultuous history, with a series of dictatorships and military coupes. Europeans, especially from Spain and Italy, migrated to Argentina in huge numbers, especially in the 1800s. There was a large movement to eradicate indigenous populations, whether it be through absorbing them into European culture or killing them. While this history sounds very violent, it is extremely comparable to colonization of the United States. Native Americans were also eradicated and forced to assimilate or move. European conquest is a common history in the Americas. However, unlike some other Latin countries, there is very little sign of the indigenous population in Argentina.

Niah Humphrey is an official CAPA vlogger for spring 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A communication major with a minor in Spanish at Auburn University, she is studying abroad in Buenos Aires this semester.

In this week's post, Niah heads home after her semester abroad, and shares with us how she's changed.

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Thanks, Niah!

Niah's journey continues every Thursday so stay tuned.

Elizabeth Withers is an official CAPA blogger for spring 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A double major in English literature and history & philosophy of science at the University of Pittsburgh, she is studying abroad in Buenos Aires this semester.

In this week's post, Elizabeth talks about how packing her bags to head home is a bit different than packing for her arrival in Buenos Aires.

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This was my last week in Buenos Aires, and although I’m excited to go home, I’m starting to miss just about everything about this city already.  Walking through the verdant plazas and winding, narrow, art-filled calles, I’ve had some time to reflect on what I’ve learned from my four months here in this enormous, dynamic, lively city.  Some of this is a little hard to put into words; it’s not always easy to realize the gradual changes that come with learning about new places, cultures, people, ideas, attitudes, and ways of living.  That said, I’m going to try, with this post, to take you once again through my packing process.  This time, though, I’ll be taking a lot more with me than clothes and toiletries and books, and leaving behind some things, too.

Photo: one of my favorite landmarks in Buenos Aires, Floralis Generica by the artist Eduardo Catalano.  This giant steel flower blooms everyday with the rising and setting sun.

Sally Rountree is an official CAPA blogger for summer 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A Sociology major and Public Health minor at Simmons College, she is studying abroad in Buenos Aires on a custom program this semester.

In this week's post, Sally tells us about a particular chance encounter after her arrival that reminded her of home.

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Yesterday morning, we landed in Argentina after thirteen hours of being in the air and made our way to the city of Buenos Aires. I already love this experience. These past 30 hours have been filled with confusion, surprise, amazement, and laughter. I feel like I have been with this group of students for far more than two days. I can tell time here is going to pass quickly.

So far we’ve spent most of our time walking around the city exploring and taking tours. On our various excursions, we’ve met several locals. The first local we talked to who wasn’t related to the program we are studying through here talked to us in a small convenience store. She was really sweet and was able to speak in English, which was good because I unfortunately do not speak Spanish. She was very willing to talk to us and let us ask questions about her home country.

Niah Humphrey is an official CAPA vlogger for spring 2017, sharing her story in weekly posts on CAPA World. A communication major with a minor in Spanish at Auburn University, she is studying abroad in Buenos Aires this semester.

In this week's post, Niah shows us scenes from the farewell dinner and tells us what she's learned through her experience.

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Thanks, Niah!

Niah's journey continues every Thursday so stay tuned.