From Alice Lloyd ’27 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
What excited me most about my foreign study program was how little I knew about my new home, Buenos Aires. Not that I hadn’t done my research — I was eager to watch Argentine football, drink maté — and not the canned kind — and learn about the country’s rich political history. But I didn’t know a single person from the city, nor anyone who was headed there with me. I love our charming Hanover, but I also crave the anonymity of a city. So it’s no surprise that one of my favorite solo activities here has become trying out new cafes, where I sit for hours reading and people-watching.
City life is treating me well. Yet it was the mountains that called me to Argentina. I impatiently look forward to visiting the iconic “El Chaltén” in Patagonia and paying a visit to “the end of the world” — “Tierra del Fuego.”
From Gemma Stowell ’27 in Washington, D.C., United States
Last summer, I spent six weeks in Rome, Italy, through the Full Immersion Rome Experience program. It was my first time traveling outside the United States, and I realized that the Green Mountains of my home state of Vermont were no match for those in Italy. Life just felt bigger there — beyond the dirt roads I’d always known. It left me hungry to see more of the world.
This winter, the Rockefeller Center funded my off-term in Washington, D.C.. I moved to D.C. alone in January. I’ve learned how to navigate unfamiliar spaces, from the formalities of Capitol Hill to the independence of living in a city on my own. Prioritizing connection and exploration helps me feel grounded. In reaching out to new friends and finding local spots, I am learning how to make a city feel like home.
I’m still in D.C., this time as a participant in the Government domestic study program. I find myself struck by echoes of Rome: the Capitol dome’s classical architecture, the view from the Lincoln Memorial overlooking the Reflecting Pool, the dizzying height of the Washington Monument. That same sense of awe washes over me, though this time it feels a bit more familiar. D.C. is more comfortable than Rome, partly because there’s no language barrier, but also because Rome prepared me for life in a city.
I have incredible roommates — we cook together, watch movies and create a real sense of home. Our cohort is filled with people from all kinds of backgrounds, and Professor Baldez has done a wonderful job leading us. Her dog, Pancake, is also a highlight! My experiences have expanded my understanding of what’s possible. I feel more equipped than ever to take on the world after graduation — a world I didn’t even know existed before Dartmouth.
From Caroline York ’25 in Athens, Greece
As a Classics major, studying abroad in Greece felt like an essential part of my academic journey. Still, I was apprehensive — most of my coursework had focused on Roman topics rather than Greek ones. Thankfully, this FSP is unique in that many of the students are not Classics majors, so I have quickly found my footing alongside everyone else. Our advisor Professor Christensen combines research-based instruction with carefully curated tours of the country.
This FSP places a strong emphasis on reflection and intentionality, encouraging us to think about our long-term goals through daily journals. We also get to choose how to spend week seven: We can either join an archaeological excavation or travel throughout Northern Greece. I plan to go on the archaeological dig — who doesn’t want to make the next big break in the Classics world?
Of course, homesickness creeps in from time to time — especially when I crave a burger instead of a gyro from Pita and Grill —though I do love their gyros, especially the ones with chicken and fries wrapped inside. Still, I’m savoring every moment — from class dinners at cozy tavernas to late mornings working in distinctly Greek coffee shops, powered by lattes stronger than I could have imagined.
While my Dartmouth Classics courses laid a strong foundation, nothing quite compares to hearing a lecture while standing on the very ground where the history happened. Learning about the Parthenon while gazing at it, in the place where the ancient Greeks once worshipped, is irreplaceable. And as a bonus? We often end our days at the sites with a swim — just as the Ancient Greeks once did.
