With the help of the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation, Murphy Scholar Sidra Hanson '22 completed a total of four Murphy Scholar projects, including two trips abroad. Hanson spent the spring semester of 2021 in Vigo, Spain and completed an intensive Spanish language program in Buenos Aires, Argentina over the 2021-2022 winter break.
Hanson, a Hot Springs, Arkansas native, had always wanted to study abroad. This trip to Spain was her first time traveling outside of the United States, which she describes as a “dream come true” even while navigating the pandemic internationally.
Hanson spent five months living in Spain, taking both in-person and online courses in literature and language. She studied Spanish in high school and at Hendrix and “chose this program for the opportunity of an immersive language experience.”
In Argentina, Hanson lived with a host family in the Recoleta neighborhood of Buenos Aires. She spent the mornings taking Spanish classes at a local language school and the afternoons exploring the city, drinking mate, and learning to dance tango.
“I will always look back on these experiences as some of the best of my life,” Hanson said.