Hello! My name is Abigail Donaker and I am a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in finance and analytics. I am also a part of Smart Women Securities, an investment club made up entirely of women, where I am a co-sector head. I am an avid reader regardless of genre and I also love to learn about various cultures and how they differ from one another, and now that I’m studying business, learning how those cultural lenses impact national and international businesses.

I am from the suburbs of Chicago and have grown up there all my life so coming to Pitt was my first time living outside of Illinois, which has been a bit of a learning experience but also really fun. My family has a lot of teachers and healthcare professionals and that has definitely influenced some of my interests, especially seeing what members of my family do for various aspects of teaching and healthcare. While I myself am not very science inclined, I find the business aspects of healthcare really interesting, which was a big reason why I chose Plus3 Argentina. I also have an interest in potentially pursuing a career in the healthcare world at some capacity so I also saw this trip as an educational opportunity to learn more about it and gain some experience.

This trip will be my first time out of the country which is a bit daunting but I honestly could not be more excited. I have been learning Spanish for nearly seven years now and in those years, I have learned bits and pieces of Argentina’s cultural and historical contexts but getting to experience it firsthand is something I’m really looking forward to. I also just want the opportunity to use some of the Spanish that I’ve learned over the years in a Spanish-speaking country for the first time. I can’t wait for what Buenos Aires has in store for me and I look forward to all there is to learn on this trip!