Donde hay voluntad hay un camino

It happened two years ago when I got contact with an American participant that had applied for an internship in Argentina.
Her name was Aya, a young professional in the field of marketing. When Aya arrived in Argentina had little knowledge of Spanish and she had promised herself she would not only learn Spanish but also other things related to our culture and typical Argentine customs. This was what she had via e-mail before coming to Argentina.
I met Aya and told her I would do my best to make her feel comfortable during her stay in Cordoba. I spoke English to her but she asked me to speak Spanish or use words in Spanish so that she could start living her experience abroad. Great! -I thought, as my English was also basic. So, we used our hands, body language and different signals to make ourselves understood as well as some words in Spanish so that Aya could start picking up the language.
She was so nice and funny that I arranged to meet her the following weekend and take her sightseeing Cordoba. I took her to several interesting places in Cordoba, shopping malls, historic landmarks and an artisans’ fair. She loved walking through the streets of downtown Cordoba. I realized she was beginning to live the Spanish language in Argentina as she loved the way local people spoke. We really had a good time together that afternoon. On the following day I invited her to drink some mates, and she tried some cookies with dulce de leche which she loved!
…
Aya spent 5 months in Argentina. She combined her internship with an Intensive Spanish course in the afternoon.
A day before she left she came to my office to say good bye. She said Chau Luciana, gracias por todo! Espero volver pronto. Me encanta Argentina, me encanta Cordoba! – Bye Luciana. I hope to come back soon. I love Argentina. I love Cordoba .
She hugged me, gave me a kiss and showed me a pot of dulce de leche and a pack of yerba mate. It was the same American girl that 5 months ago almost did not speak a word in Spanish. She was wearing a T-shirt that had stamped: Amo Cordoba which in English means I love Cordoba.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way…Aya showed me that a person with firm determination will always find a way of doing something. She learnt Spanish and took some Argentine customs back home: Mate and dulce de leche!