Buenos Aires: Amazing Opportunity for Personal Growth Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

One of the aspects that interested me about this program was the opportunity to take classes at multiple universities in Buenos Aires. I ended up taking one class at USAL (a private university), one at UBA (large public university), and two classes at the IFSA study center- a mandatory Spanish class and another class of interest. Being in class with Argentinians was one of the most valuable experiences since it allowed me to really practice my Spanish and feel practically on the same level as the locals. The USAL class I took was a first year Psych class so it was definitely manageable. The IFSA class I took didn't require an extreme amount of work and it was nice to be in an environment where the professor understood my situation as an exchange student. My class at UBA was definitely the most interesting & challenging but presented some organizational issues such as frequent professor strikes that resulted in canceled class or class in the streets. I would recommend taking at least one class at UBA to get to be a part of a university experience like none other. With that said, make sure to balance out your schedule so you aren't overloaded and know that realistically you should probably only take classes at two different universities due to travel time and them being sprawled all throughout the city. Something I struggled with the most was the lack of organization- goodbye are the days of online class sites with all your readings posted online for easy access. Once I got used to the differences of the Argentine University system, my academic experience became so much more enjoyable.

On-site administration of your program

Everyone in the IFSA office was always super helpful and attentive to any type of question I had. From start to finish, the program seemed to run smoothly. However, the facilities and services provided by the IFSA office could be updated: there were only two computers available to a group of 60+ students in the office, printing was off limits for students, and there wasn't really a communal place to study.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Despite some initial confusion upon arrival (I was given the wrong address on the online portal), I was satisfied with my host family situation. I lived in a very central part of the city that was extremely accessible by subway & bus that really allowed me to explore all that Buenos Aires had to offer. I had my own room and bathroom that were cleaned twice a week. My host mom and dad really tried to make me feel welcome by including me in family gatherings at our apartment. I know that some people on my program were not as lucky: many had other boarders living with them, had to share bathrooms, or lived in areas a bit further out. It really is the luck of the draw but the IFSA housing staff is always there for you to listen to your concerns.

My host mom made home cooked meals every night which was so much more than I could have asked for. Through IFSA, only breakfast and dinner were provided by the host family so I usually ate lunch out but some of my friends would cook their own food for lunch. The meals I was provided were always rich in veggies and I ate a good variety of food ranging from typical Argentinian foods such as milanesa to more traditional Jewish cuisine that my host mom prepared.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Going into this experience I knew that this would be one of the toughest aspects for me. I made really great friends with the other people on my IFSA program but struggled with making lasting connections with locals. During orientation, IFSA recommends three main ways to integrate yourself within the local community: religion, sports, or some type of volunteer work/ special interest. I tried to get involved with volunteer work but the process didn't quite work out. Try to get involved in one of these three areas to try to really integrate yourself! I met some people through my classes at the universities but these people were more like class acquaintances instead of friends who I would see outside of class. It is easier said than done to push yourself to meet locals, especially when you are trying to adjust to a whole new culture, so just keep your expectations realistic.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never needed to go to the hospital while I was there. But my friends seemed to be pretty satisfied with their experiences. They were given medicine that was effective and felt they were seen promptly.

Just use common sense... Buenos AIres is a huge city that unfortunately does have a reputation for small crimes such as pickpocketing. I did get my phone stolen within the last month of the program- mostly because I let my guard down and was becoming too comfortable. As ridiculous as you might think it is, my biggest piece of advice would be to wear your backpack on your front when you are on the subway. I found this to be the most effective way to prevent any type of pickpocketing. Try to not have your iPhone out and about, even if you are looking for directions, because you are pretty much putting a target on your back. In terms of day to day safety, I felt very safe walking around by myself, especially in well populated areas. Even after a night out, I would take the bus home alone at 3am and never ran into any issues. Taxis are widely available throughout the city but the safest option (and most reliable) is to call a radio-taxi that will just come pick you up. IFSA will give you a massive safety briefing during orientation but please take it with a grain of salt- it's not to freak you out, just to make you aware. There are some areas of the city that you really shouldn't go to at night but the areas that IFSA students are housed in are very safe and residential.

IFSA Butler was a great program provider that really kept the interest of the students at the center. Their program model is great- through direct enrollment- and offered exactly what I wanted.

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

I definitely spent more than I intended to due to buying lunch very often, and expenses for public transportation (although the subway/bus was extremely cheap, it added up). Also, I paid for laundry once every two weeks and paid my own phone plan. The cost of living didn't seem to be astronomically expensive in Buenos Aires but being abroad, I wanted to do the most I could and really take advantage of life there so I ended up going out to eat and traveling a fair amount. Just be aware that your bank is probably going to charge whenever you withdraw money so it was always in my interest to take out a large sum at a time to avoid racking up large additional fees. Many places in Buenos Aires were cash only so having cash on you is always recommended.

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

Whenever I was in the IFSA office, they would constantly be trying to get us to speak Spanish with one another. No one really took it seriously and it's understandable; English is our native language so it is just natural to want to communicate using it. With my friends from IFSA, we would primarily speak in English unless we were in a setting with Argentinians but they would usually want to use our interactions to practice their English. IFSA staff really encouraged us to speak Spanish with each other and we all knew this would be more effective but unfortunately it never really happened.

Select all that apply

• Host Family
• Apartment

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• Americans

• Local University Immersion
• Host Family
• Friendships with other IFSA students

• Optional Activities with IFSA more available
• Day Trips with IFSA (currently there is only one trip to Uruguay)
• Better guidance during orientation

The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer