Hola todos! My name is Jenna Clarin and I am incredibly excited to be sharing my upcoming trip to Buenos Aires with you all. I am just about to finish up my freshman year at the University of Pittsburgh’s College of Business Administration where I’m studying marketing, supply chain management and Spanish. I am originally from Flemington, New Jersey, but have made Pittsburgh my second home these past two semesters. As someone who loves to travel and have new experiences, I truly love this city and the many things that it offers to see and do.  Aside from my studies, I am involved in a few organizations here on campus. This semester, I began working for The Pitt News, a student-written and managed newspaper for the university’s Oakland campus. I am currently a member of the newspaper’s marketing team, and have enjoyed the opportunity of being able to connect with students on campus while getting to see what marketing is all about! Additionally, I am a member of Alpha Delta Pi, a sorority here on campus, and recently began participating in case competitions with Pitt’s American Marketing Association chapter.

Growing up, I always loved going on roadtrips with my family and visiting new places. This is where my travel kick began. In July of 2017 I traveled abroad with a summer program and visited Israel, where I spent a month learning about Israeli culture and life, as well as the country’s history and politics in the Middle East. It was on this trip that I began to understand the many benefits of traveling. Visiting a new place isn’t just an opportunity to relax and vacation, but also a chance to broaden one’s perspective of the world around them, experience a new culture, and get educated on important aspects of a country’s history. When I first heard of Pitt’s Plus3 program, I was beyond excited to possibly be able to have such an experience once again. The trip to Argentina stood out especially, as the country’s political past has always interested me, and the ability to practice my Spanish with locals was a challenge that I was ready to for.

A couple of months ago, I sat at my desk reading the blog posts of students who traveled abroad on the Plus3 Program in 2018. Now, with less than two weeks until our trip begins, I sit here again, this time writing my own post. Thinking about my experiences to come, I hope to not only become more knowledgeable about the country of Argentina itself, but to also reach a greater understanding of its complex healthcare system, how its benefits its citizens, and where it falls short. While I am a student in the business school, my interest in healthcare and how it is managed has piqued since coming to Pitt and trying to figure out what kind of career I’d like to have the future. I’m curious to see how these systems work and if I’d be interested in pursuing a job in healthcare management in the future. This, along with exploring Buenos Aires and experiencing Argentinian culture, have me ready to hop on the plane and finally get to the place that I’ve been learning so much about these past several weeks. It’s exciting to think that the next blog post I write will be in beautiful Buenos Aires. ¡Nos vemos pronto!