Anna Pelletiere

Trinity College, Dublin (Fall 2022) and University of Belgrano, Buenos Aires (Spring 2023) 

 Studying abroad twice, in two wildly different places, gave me access to incredible new experiences and widened my horizons dramatically. In Ireland, I took classes on Irish art, politics, economics, and history as well as diving deeply into a focus seminar on the histories and futures of climate change, all while exploring the diverse neighborhoods of Dublin and the stunning countryside. My fondest memory from my time in Dublin involves swimming in the Irish sea in December with a group of friends, before sprinting to the local café for some hot chocolate. In Argentina, I focused on my Spanish skills both academically, through taking three classes entirely in Spanish, and outside the classroom through speaking with my host mom and local students. I also studied Argentine history, art, and economics and had awe-inspiring travels, which included solo hiking in Patagonia and horseback riding in the foothills of the Andes.  

Currently, I am working on my honors thesis studying sites of memory in the U.S. and Argentina, more specifically comparing Monticello and Montpelier as former sites of enslavement to the ex-ESMA site in Buenos Aires, a former clandestine detention center under the dictatorship. I have received research funding from the Department of History in support of this work and will be returning to Argentina in January of 2024. After graduation, I hope to travel and eventually work in the museum-world, before completing a graduate degree.