Student Summer Adventures: Claire Carmody '19 Travels to Uruguay

While there, she studied the history and culture of the South American nation. We sat down with Claire to get the full story.

I had the chance to travel to Uruguay to study the Gaucho Culture and the overall culture of the country. I worked on a sustainable farm for a week, stayed with a local family for 12 days, and grew my proficiency in the Spanish language.

The week we stayed at the farm was definitely my favorite. Every day we woke up early, sometimes before the sun rose, and took care of all the animals on the farm. I will admit, sometimes this was hard as it was winter in Uruguay and the weather dropped below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to taking care of animals, we went to a lemon farm, learned how to cook a traditional barbecue, kayaked, fished, and went on hikes to explore the beautiful countryside.

One thing I will never forget from this trip is the power of a smile. I will admit that going into the trip my Spanish was not the best. So when it came time for the homestay, I found myself insecure about my Spanish skills. Once I was at my family's house I learned just how easy it was to communicate. While we didn't always understand what the other person was saying, we were able to communicate through laughter and smiling. There were moments where my host sister and I didn't know how to talk to each other but through smile and laughter, and the game UNO, we were able to make a connection that changed my entire trip for the better.

Beyond Chatham Hall, I hope to continue exploring the world like I did this summer. I have learned how to communicate when language fails, and I hope to put this to use in my future. Exploring different cultures around me has always been vital to my growth and I look forward to being able to continue to grow. I hope to return to Uruguay soon, but, even if I don’t, I know that the skills and lessons I learned on the trip will be vital as I move on to college next year.