Valentina Salas

Independent essay

You have the opportunity to visit a foreign country for two weeks. Which country would you
like to visit? Use specfic reasons and details to explain your choice..

There are many reasons why traveling broadens our mind and perspective of the world. In
my opinion, as an Argentinian citizen, visiting Spain can be a life-changing experience. I
feel this way for two reasons, which i will explore in the following paragraphs.

Firstly, it will provide me with useful knowledge to understand better the traditions and
history of my country. Before becoming an independant country, Argentina was under
Spanish command. Therefore, many of our customs and traditions originally belong to their
culture. For instance, the music we listen to, as well as the language we use, and the
dishes we eat, are proof of the Spanish legacy. My own experience is a compelling
example of that. My mother usually cooks delicious, savory meals like paella or gazpacho
which are typical in the hispanic couisine. Thus, exploring such a country would allow me
to embrace and appreciate more our local traditions since i will associate them with their
context and the places visited. Moreover, it will transform the way i think our historical
background is.

Secondly, as many argentinians are descendants of hispanic inmigrants i will find my real
identity. When we became a Spanish colony, we lacked of enough natives to work and live
in the vast territory. In consequence, many people traveled overseas in hope of a better
future since there were many job opportunities. For instance, my father happened to be
son of a Spanish salesman who emigrated to Argentina to start a new business. So, when
i was younger, he would tell me stories about his mother country. He described to me the
places he frequented as a child, the neighbourhood in which he lived, and the school he
attended. As a result of listening to his childhood tales, i became fascinated with Spains
history and decided i would travel there in the future to learn more about my heritage. After
doing research, i found out that the house he lived at still exists but his school was shut
down. For this reason, i strongly believe visiting Spain can be a worthwhile experience.

In conclusion, i firmly believe that traveling to Spain can be a unique life time experience
which will deeply help me grow. This is because it will not only make me understand who i
am and were i come from, by investigating my linage and roots, but it will also allow me to
cherish Argentinas history and culture.