Buenos Aires: An Amazing Whirlwind of Fun and Adventure Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Compared to Trinity, the classes were a breeze, which was exactly what I was looking for in my study abroad experience. I still learned a lot, but I wasn't spending all of my free time studying.

On-site administration of your program

The IES center offered plenty of support. The staff was very nice and accessible, and they wanted to make sure we were healthy, safe, and having a good experience. The staff suggested a lot of stuff for us to do around the city, and they were helpful in suggesting travel destinations and how to get there, etc. The program was a good size. I met a lot of people without it feeling too large. I was very happy with IES, and it met the majority of my expectations.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My homestay was the best part of my abroad experience. I lived in an apartment with an elderly couple. The neighborhood that I lived in was safe, and I lived about two blocks from the IES center which was great because I could walk there in about 5-10 minutes. Out of all my friends, I lived furthest away from the bars and boliches, so I usually had to take a cab alone, but it was worth it because I didn't have to commute every day for class. I was also within walking distance of UCES. I didn't need to buy anything to settle-in. My host family treated my like a family member and a guest. They were so welcoming and warm and always making sure I was ok and had everything I needed. They let me have friends over and told me to think of the apartment as my own. They weren't overbearing, though, and they let me have my space and privacy when I wanted it.

The food that my host-grandmother prepared was delicious. The quality was great, and she always gave me too much. Breakfast isn't big there, but they made sure I had the foods I normally like for breakfast (eggs, cereal, toast, etc.) We tried a lot of different places for lunch, and my favorites were the cheap choripan and empanada places.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There is so much to do in Buenos Aires. There are a lot of historical places to go see. The ferias are amazing. Argentina is an extremely diverse country, so I recommend travelling around. The IES trip to Patagonia through the Making of Patagonia class was awesome. The Tandil hiking field trip through IES was a lot of fun.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Buenos Aires is not a very safe city. People get pickpocketed very easily if you're not careful, and it is not safe to be alone on the streets at night, especially if you're a girl. It is not safe to take a city taxi alone, but the private company taxis are fine. IES gave a safety presentation during orientation that really scared us, but it had a lot of helpful tips.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Classes were in Spanish, and all the professors and staff workers insisted on speaking in Spanish with us. When we weren't in class, though, we were usually speaking English to each other. We spoke Spanish with all the locals, but many knew English, and a lot of them would speak to us only in English. I spoke only Spanish in my homestay.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans