Buenos Aires - A Unique and Cultural Metropolitan Past Review
By Chelsea S (Spanish for International Service\Religious Studies, The Catholic University of America) - abroad from 03/26/2012 to 06/22/2012 with
IES Abroad: Buenos Aires - Society & Culture
I learned to trust myself and my skills. I learned how to relate to another culture and navigate my way around the city, being flexible with the bumps, and still making it an adventure.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales |
| 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 courses were geared towards understanding the local culture which was really helpful! Some were challenging, others not too much, but all were informative and fostered conversation skills. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
All of the administrators were very helpful and tried to have personal relationships with the students. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my host-mom. She was an incredible resource that was everything I could have asked for in my housing experience! |
| * Food: |
Eating out was great! Certain cooked meals were an interesting adjustment, and I missed peanut butter, but it the cuisine was good in its own ways. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Being an American girl definitely got the attention of the locals, so it was easy to interact with them and find the interesting local spots. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never needed to use any healthcare services, so I cannot comment on efficiency, but everything was explained clearly. |
| * Safety: |
IES was very thorough with the safety protocol. They were very open about security issues, so I felt prepared walking through the city and never had an incident. |
| 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) |
I bought groceries and packed a lunch which helped for weekly expenses. I managed my weekend budget as well so I found it pretty easy. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | US$50.00 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Plan out big trips you want and budget them separately. |
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 |
Many of the advisers spoke to you in Spanish, unless it was an important issue they needed to make sure we fully understood. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| 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? | SPAN 320 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Try not to speak any English. My hostmom did not speak English so we played charades to learn vocab. Try to use it when you're out with IES friends. |
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?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Be more open to all types of people in the program, try talking to more locals, and bring your own American favorite foods (like peanut butter). |
