Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Great Program! Unexpected costs... Past Review

By (Trinity University) - abroad from 05/27/2016 to 07/09/2016 with

IFSA: Buenos Aires - Advanced Language and Culture in Buenos Aires

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a greater oral and aural understanding of Spanish and I learned how to navigate a 3.5 million city by myself.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

When signing up for the program it said lunch would be provided along with breakfast (every day) and dinner (weekdays). I was disappointed to discover this not to be the case, as it added a great financial cost to the program.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Even though some costs were not explained upfront, the program was still wonderful and I had an amazing time.

Finances

* 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)

There was too great of cost of buying food, I would have appreciate some subsidization of this.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Around 100.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan ahead for buying about half of your own meals.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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? SPAN 3302
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • The independence
  • The ability to travel during the last week
* What could be improved?
  • Explaining and breaking down costs better before departure.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Not much, I think it was fairly well done.

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 Adventurer
The 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.