Too many good things for one blurb! Past Review
By Jessica Duska (University of Virginia) - abroad from 07/28/2017 to 11/25/2017 with
IES Abroad: Buenos Aires - Society & Culture
What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I have been taking Spanish since third grade and I have not seen myself improve until coming to Argentina! I got to interact with local people in my community service project, in weekend trips, and every day in my program! I wouldn't say that my experience transformed me in a huge way like many people do but it made me much more confident in my Spanish and in general!
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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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? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This program was more than I even expected going in! The people, the classes, the staff, the place! Everything was well organized and I always felt taken care of! |
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? | $30 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | It is all what you make of it! You can find cheap food at the grocery store and make it but it is all about the effort you want to put in and whether or not you want to spend time cooking! :) |
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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 2020 |
| 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? | If you can, try speaking with your fellow students! My hosts and my classes were all engaged in Spanish which was great but on the weekends or on breaks all we wanted to do was speak English and that definitely contributed to a slower learning process. Try doing a day in Spanish with your friends, it could be fun and definitely help! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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? | Everyone's experience is going to be so different - you can read as much as you want and research so much but at the end of the day, keep your expectations low if you can because you never know what you're getting yourself into! Also YOU CAN DO it, you can do whatever you want so don't sell yourself short and let this experience pull you in whatever direction you want! |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
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