Latin America Dreaming

Mexico and really made the subject come alive.” She placed an impressive fifth in NSW for HSC Spanish Extension, which cemented her desire to pursue a languages degree.

“I am studying a Bachelor of Portuguese and Spanish,” says Hannah, “I have loved learning languages from an early age. I love being able to communicate with people, hear their stories and learn about how they live their lives.” which I much prefer to larger cities such as London.” The University was founded in 1583 and boasts a distinguished list of notable alumni, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who created his famous character Sherlock Holmes whilst studying there. It is home to Britain’s oldest literary awards as well as Dolly the sheep, the first animal to be cloned. “The campus is scattered around the city, with different buildings throughout,” says Hannah.

Ms Hannah Rodrigues (2021) has taken a surprising detour to the sandstone-lined streets of Edinburgh, in her pursuit of an exciting life in Latin America.

The colour and romance of Latin American languages and culture have inspired Ms Hannah Rodrigues’ imagination from a young age. When she began learning Spanish at Wenona, she formed an immediate connection. “My teachers ignited my interest – they were from Venezuela, Colombia and

When applying to universities, a key component of the course for Hannah needed to be immersion. “Domestic universities do not offer the opportunity for immersion in Latin American countries, nor the ability to study Portuguese. In the United Kingdom, there is a specific focus on all arts subjects, and you are able to spend time abroad studying your chosen languages. In my third year, I am hoping to spend six months in Portugal and the remainder of the year in Spain.” Hannah has just started learning Portuguese, appreciating the subtle nuances between the two languages.

She applied to five different universities in the United Kingdom and was accepted to them all. Settling on the University of Edinburgh, she departed Sydney in April to spend time with her English relatives and to travel before her degree commenced in September. “I visited both Spain and Portugal to practise the languages and absorb the cultures of those countries. This is where my passion lies.”

“I had visited Edinburgh previously and fallen in love with the city. It is beautiful - small and with a tight-knit community

Studying a varied selection of Arts subjects such as languages, history, politics, literature, film, society and culture, Hannah will also have the opportunity to study Catalan, which is spoken in Barcelona. “I love the program here at the University of Edinburgh - it is very varied and reflects the university’s academic prestige.”

After completing her four-year degree, Hannah plans to pursue her dream of living in Latin America, considering Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Peru. “I love the idea of sharing people’s stories with the English-speaking world through traditional and modern media, podcasts and social media. The indigenous affairs of Latin America are very similar to the Australian situation in terms of assimilation and the relationships between indigenous and non-indigenous people.”

Even through COVID-19 lockdowns, border closures and doubts about living so far from her family, Hannah is thankful she is able to pursue her dream. “I have wanted to do this for so long. It was daunting as it got closer, but I know it will be a wonderful experience.”