Friendships that make being away from home worth it Past Review
By Karlye Z (Spanish Language, Grand Valley State University) - abroad from 07/19/2012 to 11/10/2012 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Buenos Aires, Argentina
I learned to be more flexible, and to be more aware of my surroundings. It was worthwhile once I found a community here that I grew close to and could ease the difficulty of being away from my family and friends at home.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I wasn't a huge fan of the administration and the way it was run at the University of Belgrano, but it's just different from the US |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I found a really welcoming and friendly community at a church in Once that took me in and taught me and hung out with me. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have any experience with healthcare. I had to get some vaccinations to go to Iguazu before I came. |
| * Safety: |
If you're smart, there's a 90% chance you'll be perfectly fine. Pay attention to surroundings, don't go places alone at night, and watch your stuff. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
Stuff here's expensive, moreso than in the US. But I did manage to find a few gems to get cheap food or clothes. Season changing sales rock, and so does train station food. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | maybe $100 pesos? So like $25 US? |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Buy cheap food during the week. Or don't eat lunch (probs not a great tip, buy fruit from fruterias for cheap for lunch). |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 300 level classes |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Find some sort of club/community/group of friends, especially with people who don't speak English. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 10+ |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | The climate of when I arrived here and what kind of stuff I would need |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
