The Beginning of Life in “La Docta”

Written by Alanna McFadden

Published on March 19, 2024

In 2024, I was awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, which allowed me to act as a citizen diplomat during my time abroad. As part of a service project to raise awareness about the scholarship, this article was written to high-school students in Nebraska in collaboration with Reach the World.

¡Hola y Bienvenidos a todos! (Hello and welcome everyone!) I am so excited to share this journey in Córdoba, Argentina with you all. Many say that Argentina is like lots of little countries combined into one because of its many diverse regions. From the gauchos (the cowboys/ranchers of Argentina) of Jujuy to the icebergs in Tierra del Fuego (The End of the World...aka the southernmost point in South America), there's so much to explore! During the next few weeks, I hope that we can learn about the beautiful cultura cordobesa (Cordoba Culture), as well as the beautiful history, cuisine, and landscapes of Argentina as a whole.  

You may be wondering how I ended up studying abroad nearly 5,000 miles away from my home state of South Carolina. It was a very long trip to say the least, with a combined flight time of just under 12 hours! However, even though the journey was exhausting, it was all worth it when I remembered why I chose to come here. Ever since I was a child, I have always wanted to be a doctor. I spent most of my childhood in Columbia, South Carolina with my mom, dad, grandparents and brother named Miles. I loved spending time outside, swimming, writing short stories, and reading action books. Because of my fascination with doctors, I would often beg my brother to play make-believe and be my patient (and when he wouldn’t, my stuffed animals were close seconds). I’ve also always had a passion for learning the Spanish language. I remember being inspired to speak Spanish by the television show Dora the Explorer. As silly as it sounds, this cartoon sparked my curiosity for language learning. As time went on, my childhood interest grew into a passion that I would carry into adulthood. 

When it was time to apply for college, my plan was to double major in Spanish and biology. I wanted to study to become a doctor while also satisfying my desire to utilize

my Spanish to communicate with and serve others. While researching potential majors, I stumbled across Clemson University’s Language and International Health program. It involved taking a variety of health related coursework while learning a different language. Immediately I was intrigued, so I decided to apply…and was accepted! I am so happy and blessed to be an LIH student at Clemson. This college is known internationally for their football team, the Clemson Tigers, which leads to a packed stadium every Sunday during football season. On a typical day at Clemson, I enjoy taking walks around the beautiful campus, grabbing a bite with friends, and playing volleyball at Y-Beach. 

When I’m not on campus, I like to spend time with family, volunteer at local non-profits, and travel. The summer of my freshman year, I got the opportunity to travel to Panamá with an organization called Volunteers Around the World. During my two weeks in Panamá, I volunteered at a mobile clinic that provided medical care to island populations in Bocas del Toro. Shadowing the doctors and hearing patient’s life stories in Spanish was invaluable. This experience confirmed my love for medicine and encouraged me to pursue fluency in Spanish.

Today, I am in my third-year at Clemson University. I am studying abroad in Córdoba, Argentina, where I am living with a host family and taking classes at Blas Pascal University. It’s only been a month since I’ve arrived but in this time I’ve gained many valuable experiences. I can’t wait to share all of my adventures from visiting a ranch and meeting modern day gauchos to trekking in La Garganta Del Diablo (The Devil’s Throat) in Mendoza.