Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Study at Belgrano Past Review

By (Spanish Language and Literature., University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse) - abroad from 01/25/2014 to 05/24/2014 with

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Buenos Aires, Argentina

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I had a great study abroad experience but my program was very poor.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Classes were challenging because 4 out of my 5 classes were in Spanish taught by native Spanish speaking teachers. I wish all my classes were in Spanish! I wouldn't recommend taking more than 4 classes because I had a lot of homework.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The organization of the program was poor. I was a part of the Global Campus/ Study center and I had classes with ONLY students from the US which made it more challenging to meet friends outside of class. I would recommend the CEA program at Belgrano more than the Global Campus/Study Center.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was great! My host mom gave my roommate and I the flexibility to come and go as we liked. I wish I had a host sibling my age but she was older so we didn't see her much.

* Food:

Argentine food is unique.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

It was difficult to integrate fully into the culture when I didn't have classes with international or native speaking students. The program didn't have any integration or conversation meetings until halfway through the semester which was kind of pointless because people by then were already set in their schedules.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

You can get your basic medicines and then some at the pharmacies.

* Safety:

My friends and I got pick pocketed our first night out at a club and one of the last weekends. Be safe by walking in groups late and night and always always have your hand on your purse/bag in public places and when using public transportation. Never carry more money than you need and never flash your money or important documents in public. Identity theft is not a thing in Argentina, but people will take your money.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

Finances

* 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)

I spent about 150-200 dollars every 2 weeks, this included buying lunch almost every day, souvenirs every so often, and going sightseeing. I used extra money for longer weekend trips.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $2,300
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make your own lunch and if your host parents let you, cook at home. It will save a lot of money!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

I had classes in Spanish but spoke English with my classmates they were all from America. Take classes at University of Belgrano. There were only 1 or 2 integration meetings. They didn't encourage us at all to us our Spanish.

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? 400 level Spanish courses
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? Take classes at the University of Belgrano(Not at the Global Campus/Study Center) and speak Spanish as much as you can. Seek out chances to speak to Argentines on a daily basis and talk a lot with your host family. Go to conversation tables early on to make friends.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Trips to Iguazu and Tigre
  • Lots of help with daily life concerns
* What could be improved?
  • More integration experiences including conversation tables
  • classes with native Spanish speaking students
  • more fieldtrips
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That I would be having classes with basically the same 20 Americans for the whole program.

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 Networker
An active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume.