Buenos Aires the best places to study abroad Past Review
By Julia O (Plan II Honors/Latin American Studies, The University of Texas at Austin) for
IFSA: Buenos Aires - Argentine Universities Program
I became much more self-reliant and independent. I gained so much perspective with this experience and really enjoyed it.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | University of Buenos Aires |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was managable. It was a very rewarding experience to take classes at an actual Argetine university. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
There were many resources available. Everyone was very helpful and friendly! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in Caballito on Rivadavia in an apartment. <br /><br /> It was very close to school but very far from nightlife and tourist attractions. My host mother was very kind and treated me like a family member. |
| * Food: |
Argentines eat a lot of meat and eat very late at night. This took some getting used to for me. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We went to Uruguay and a modern ballet which were both very fun! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Our program warned us about unsafe areas and unsafe practices. I felt more safe as time went on but was always very careful about taxi cabs and keeping my belongings within sight. |
| 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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Travelers checks are very inconvenient. I would just bring a credit card and some cash. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 312L |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced with my host mother. You definitely needed to use the language, not many people spoke English. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | You need to be very independent and confident. Buenos Aires is a big city and sometimes can be very overwhelming. It's a very exciting city so you should have a sense of adventure too. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Argentine History |
| Course Department: | IFSA-Butler |
| Instructor: | Andrea Roman |
| Instruction Language: | Castellano |
| Comments: | Very interesting. I learned a lot and really enjoyed it. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Castellano |
| Course Department: | IFSA-Butler |
| Instructor: | Celina |
| Instruction Language: | Castellano |
| Comments: | It was very challenging but very beneficial. It helped improve my Spanish significantly. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No. |
