Class of 2012
Mary Roman
Contact
E-mail: mroman2@washcoll.edu
Campus Involvement
- Majors: Biology and Hispanic Studies
- Track: Pre-Nursing
- Greek: Alpha Omicron Pi sorority
- Admissions Tour Guide
- College Democrats
Q & A
Hometown and high school? Lancaster, PA/Lancaster Country Day School
Study Abroad Experience
I had no idea what to expect when my plane landed at Ezezia International Airport in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I had never been to South America before. I knew that once I landed in this foreign country, I was going to need to use what little Spanish I knew to get myself in a taxi and to the address given to me by my homestay mother. Before I knew it I was getting out of the taxi and ringing the doorbell of a complete stranger. She welcomed me with a warmer greeting than I had ever received, and I knew that I was going to be okay living here for five months.
The week of orientation at La Universidad Catolica de Argentina was a blur. I met more people in that week than I ever expected and some of them ended up being closer friends than I ever expected. These were people from different backgrounds all over the world, going through the exact same experience as me.
I never expected that I would soon call these people my best friends. We experienced everything together; eating cow intestines, going to the Argentina vs. Espana soccer game, navigating the bus system of the crazy city, and traveling the country. I saw things that I never expected to see in my whole life; the Waterfalls of Iguazu, the whales and penguins in Patagonia, the famous "Train to the Clouds" in northern Argentina, and the part of the country known for its Malbec wine.
Spending five months in a completely foreign place with people I had never met before was one of the scariest things I've ever done, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. The experiences that I had were absolutely priceless and I met people who mean more to me than I ever expected them to. My one piece of advice for anyone in college: spend a semester abroad. I don't care where it is, but do it. You will be forever grateful that you had the opportunity to experience the world, get to know another culture, and get to know yourself.
Campus Event Appearances
Look for Mary in these event photos.