A Connection to Remember Past Review
By Vivika S. (University of San Diego) - abroad from 08/24/2017 to 12/07/2017 with
CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Buenos Aires, Argentina
I learned a lot about myself through getting out of my comfort zone, specifically with the language barrier that initially intimidated me. I am proud of how much I have picked up with my Spanish and how much more confident of a traveller I am now.
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. |
The Culture of Food and Wine class was definitely the highlight!... Field trips to a cafe, a butcher, an olive oil tasting, wine tasting, a barbecue... |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
CEA staff were very friendly and helpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with an amazing host mom, with her labrador retriever and cat, in my own room with my own bathroom! |
| * Food: |
A bit difficult to avoid meat :( |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got a throat infection at one point during my time but I got penicillin from a pharmacy without a prescription to treat it. |
| * Safety: |
I hate how many catcalls I get, constantly as I am walking around the city, a lot of the time by old men. Other than that I feel safe. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
Next time I would want to go to a place away from the city. I realized that my happy place is somewhere green, quiet, and calm, which Buenos Aires was not for me. |
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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $120 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Use the free bike-share program, Ecobici! |
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? | Beginner |
| 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? | Spanish 100 |
| 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? | Live with a host family! |
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? |
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? | This city is HUGE. I don't know why I didn't pick up on it before with all of my planning and research. On the positive side, there are LOTS of bike lanes, and a free bike-share program called Ecobici. |
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. |
