Buenos Aires: Unlike anything I've ever experienced! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

At the Global Campus in the CEA program, the classes are pretty easy. The workload is very light, compared to my home University. The professors are all from Argentina, or at least have lived there for a considerable amount of time, so you are able to get a genuine Argentine perspective. Expectations are a little less clear than in the States. i.e. The syllabus will change. A lot of the schedule and assignments have changed since I've been here, but a lot of the time this is because they are making time for class field trips around the city.

On-site administration of your program

The administration at the Global Campus is certainly very knowledgeable, as they are all residents of Buenos Aires. When I didn't receive the housing that I wanted, I was given the option to switch within the third week. The administration is especially helpful when you need advice about travelling and what to do in the city. They have definitely enhanced my experience.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in the Eldita Residencia, which is a home that I shared with 15 other American students and our host mom, Elda. The house is located in one of the safest barrios in Buenos Aires, and is an absolutely beautiful house. The rooms are a little small, and everyone shares a room with at least 2 other people. My room is about half the size of my regular dorm room at school, but despite the lack of space, we have all we need! The rooms were furnished with sheets and comfy bunk beds. You are not given kitchen access, but there is a fridge available for students. Elda makes breakfast and dinner for the students Monday-Saturday, and the meals are INCREDIBLE! She is an absolutely wonderful host mom, and I cannot say enough good things about her. Elda genuinely cares about the students and takes very good care of them all!

As I mentioned above, the food in Elda's Residencia is incredible. Be prepared to gain a couple pounds! We ate a lot of Italian-influenced and Spanish-influenced dishes. Everything is SO delicious! If you are vegetarian, you shouldn't have too much of a problem. We didn't have any vegetarians in our house, but Elda cooks each plate with love! :) For lunch and on Sundays, there are so many different options for eating out. There are a lot of different organic/healthy options available in the city. Although this is beef country, it's not difficult to avoid it if you don't want it. There is a very wide variety of foods available to try!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The best excursion that CEA took us on was to the Iguazu Falls. This is now one of the 7 natural wonders of the world, and certainly deserves that title. There are not words to describe how beautiful this was. This is something you can't miss if you visit Argentina! We also had a quick day trip to Uruguay. This was mostly just to renew our travel visas, but it was nice to see Colonia, and get another stamp in our passports. The beaches are very pretty. CEA gave us several tours around the city as well as a trip to Tigre, a city that is built on a river. We saw a lot of great things that Buenos Aires has to offer.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Be careful in Buenos Aires. It is almost inevitable that you will get pickpocketed or ripped off in this city. Mugging is rare, but it happens. The administration was really good about telling us which areas to avoid and how to keep us safe. HTH Insurance is included in the program. Though it takes a while for them to reimburse you, it has covered me for my visit to the hospital. (You go to a walk-in clinic in a hospital if you are sick. Doctors appointments are also available if you can wait a day or two.) There aren't really any huge prevalent health issues here. I got my Hep A and Yellow Fever vaccines before I arrived, but I don't think you really need them. Many of the students in my program never got these vaccines, and they are fine.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Though a lot of people speak English in Buenos Aires, I still had a lot of exposure to the language on the streets. I lived in the Eldita Residencia, where I share a house with 15 other American students, so at times it was difficult to practice in this environment. Our host mom, Elda, only speaks Spanish to us, but our interaction with her is minimal. The global campus classes are all with American students as well. It is true when students say you learn more if you put the work in, though. Striking up conversation with strangers has been the best way to practice. This program is ideal for students who have a lower level of Spanish comprehension, in my opinion. You are able to take all of your classes in English, if wanted. Though, there are still many students at an advanced Spanish level.

Select all that apply

• Dorm
• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Host Family
• Americans

• The excursions
• The food!
• The administration

• It's difficult to gain exposure to the language
• More structure in classes