To practice for my on-air debut, I first packed my bags and boarded the longest flight of my life to start a semester abroad in South America. After a month in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I headed to Santiago, Chile, where I spent the next 5 months taking classes, traveling, and making new friends (all in Spanish!)

Throughout my time in South America, I:

• Celebrated Halloween in the driest desert in the world

• Gazed into the center of the milky way

• Trekked through unforgettable glacier-filled landscapes in Patagonia

• Ate dinner at 11pm because Argentina was winning the Copa America tournament

• Helped Chilean students apply to universities in the U.S.

• Learned how to make empanadas!