Spanish and Counseling/Psychology... don't bother! Past Review
By Jolene (None) - abroad from 05/22/2017 to 07/21/2017 with
ECELA: Buenos Aires - Spanish Language School in Argentina
I learned some Spanish from the classes. I learned MUCH more after the program was over and I was travelling in South America on my own. My extended travels were the part that made it worthwhile, not ECELA.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The Spanish classes were great. The "Psychology" or "Counseling" was poor and often nonexistent |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Very disorganized. I was surprised to find out that they'd been doing the program for years because it felt very much like we were the "guinea pig group" |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My homestay in Buenos Aires was pleasant and conveniently located. However, my "host brother" attempted to sexually assault me. My homestay in Mendoza was good, nothing spectacular. |
| * Food: |
The school didn't serve us food (though you could buy a lunch on fridays) so I'm not sure how this rating applies. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The program (that boasted "cultural diversity") was a group of 20 Americans (18 girls, 2 guys) aged 18-24. Between our many "program activities" there was very little free time for us to actually explore the area. The homestay was the most cultural aspect. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not experience any health issues requiring health care though the student liaison did take one student to the doctor when she was sick and that seemed to be a positive experience for her. |
| * Safety: |
We were located in the nicer area of Buenos Aires and seemed fairly safe besides the sexual assault attempt by my host brother. Mendoza was a bit less safe feeling and we were told to definitely not walk alone after dark. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
Definitely not! There was very very minimal psychology/counseling relevance participating in the program... and that's what I'd paid thousands of dollars for! Just take some Spanish classes and you'll learn just as much for cheaper |
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) |
It was helpful that the homestay provided breakfast and dinners |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50-100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | DON'T do the overpriced specialty program- just take the spanish classes and talk to some homeless people- you'll get better experience that way |
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 |
In class we spoke spanish... outside class we were a group of 20 Americans so we just spoke english |
| 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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish level 4 back in high school |
| 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? | Don't hang out with people who speak your native language... You'll learn much more and much quicker talking to people who fluently speak the language you're trying to learn |
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? | 0 |
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? | That it was a waste of time and money and did not teach anything applicable or useful to the field of psychology or counseling. |
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. |
