When she was 17, Sarah Caspari (’15) decided she would apply to William & Mary and spend a semester abroad in La Plata, Argentina. During the fall semester of 2013, Sarah was finally able to realize her dream. She prepared herself as much as she could taking several classes in Hispanic Studies and Latin American Studies, but, as she puts it, “there’s only so much you can learn from books.” Hers was a transformative experience: “The experiences I had abroad re-lit my fire and gave me new inspiration to advocate for people who continue to suffer, and for the people who gave their lives for the legacy of human rights, who are presente: ahora y siempre. They’re here: now and forever.”
Sarah shares her thoughts on life, culture and politics in Argentina, and several other intercultural insights, in her article “La Plata’s legacy: igniting passion and freedom,” which appeared in the latest issue of the Reves Center’s magazine, World Minded (Vol. 6, No. 2, Spring 2014; pp. 4-5).
Sarah Caspari is a Robert M. and Rebecca W. Gates Scholar. Her passion for La Plata led her to return last summer in order to conduct on site research for her honor’s project on a series of kidnappings and forced disappearances of young students in La Plata. Sarah is also a Teaching Assistant in the Hispanic Studies program.