Seeing Through A Different Lens: The Benefits of Studying Abroad as an LGBTQ Student
As I prepared for my 4-month IFSA study abroad program in Buenos Aires over the summer of 2019, I had a lot of questions about what my semester in Argentina would be like. In addition to the usual concerns about academics, the language barrier and adjusting to social life in a different country, I had no idea what it was like to be gay in Buenos Aires.
Luckily, I found that porteños, the residents of Buenos Aires, were incredibly accepting of gay people, often more than people I’ve interacted with in the United States. Whether talking with IFSA program staff, going on dates, or coming out to my host mom, I found that being gay wasn’t an obstacle to my enjoyment of the Argentine Universities Program. Instead, it allowed me to see Argentina through another lens.