Past Review
By Hillary R (Spanish (Pre-Dental Studies), Tufts University) for
CIEE: Buenos Aires - Liberal Arts
DEFINITELY. I could not have even imagined how incredible it was going to be. I gained a better understanding of myself and confidence as well. Being able to truly convey yourself in another language is a very empowering thing.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | UBA, FLACSO (CIEE) |
| The term and year this program took place: | Fall 2009 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I think that I learned a lot especially because I got to take a wide variety of classes that I might not have taken at Tufts. However, the best part of the experience was that every class was taught in Spanish. It was also nice to be in classes with Argentinians when I was taking classes outside of FLACSO (the program's university) even though I thoroughly enjoyed my classes in FLACSO as well. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Everything I had an issue with could be easily solved, and they were very accessible (by e-mail and in person). |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in Palermo which is a very nice neighborhood (and would highly recommend it). I chose to live with a Jewish family since that was important to me, and it could not have been a better decision. It really helped with keeping kosher and Jewish holidays. The family was VERY, VERY nice and really improved my Spanish skills. They made me feel very comfortable. <br /><br /> Palermo is a very nice part of the city and has a great nightlife. Getting to anywhere was very easy since there was a subway stop 3.5 blocks away and 2 main streets that allowed me to take buses to basically anywhere. |
| * Food: |
There were many kosher restaurants which was great. My family also kept kosher which made my experience infinitely better. I wasn't allowed to cook, but they ALWAYS made me food. The food I ate was delicious, always homemade and there was always enough if not too much. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I loved how they coordinated a program for us to play soccer with the Argentinians. I thoroughly enjoyed the trips they took us on as a program. It allowed us to explore the country and to get closer to the other people on the program. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Whenever anyone had a medical condition, a staff member would accompany them to get treatment or go to the doctor. I felt safe throughout my program -- you just have to be alert because it is a big city. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | It definitely depended on the week due to how many times I decided to go out versus eating with my host family. Anywhere from $25 to $75 I would say. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | While the money you spend on each thing is cheaper (since the exchange rate is 3.8:1), things do add up. Just make sure you're keeping track of what you're spending. I also traveled more than I thought I was going to, so that adds up, too. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
Taking classes in Spanish all the time, being forced to speak it whenever in the program building, and just plain old being in a city that speaks Spanish is an INCREDIBLE learning experience. You have to get it out in Spanish no matter how roundabout of a description it is. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | DEFINITELY DO IT. CIEE is amazing, and Buenos Aires is incredible. There is not one thing I regret about it. Even after being there, I still think my program was the best one. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Hebrew - Etymology and Culture |
| Course Department: | Ricardo Rojas (UBA) Hebrew 1 |
| Instructor: | Malka Kornberg |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish / Hebrew |
| Comments: | The class was one of my favorite Argentine experiences. I was in a class with 3-4 other students who were no younger than 40 years old each. I was the only American and already had Hebrew knowledge while the others did not. The professor accordingly gave me work appropriate for me and let me teach the other students at times. It was just an amazing cultural experience, and they took me in essentially as their child. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | It was just an elective course so I could not transfer it back to Tufts. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Cultural & Social Anthropology |
| Course Department: | Communications (Social Sciences) |
| Instructor: | Rosato |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | The course was slightly challenging but definitely a good learning experience. It was interesting to take a course like Anthropology in a different culture since the basis of the course is reliant on one's personal background. In the beginning I didn't participate nearly as much as I did by the end. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | I had no issues transferring the credit, and it even counts toward social sciences distribution. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Language in Action |
| Course Department: | FLACSO |
| Instructor: | Gabriela Yocco |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | The course combined reading Argentine literature and taking trips throughout Buenos Aires to show us what we had been reading about. The professor is very entertaining and very passionate about the class. She also brings in people to speak about the works you read in class. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | I had no issues -- they just need to see the information when you get back to Tufts. |
