Past Review
By Megan J (Cognitive Sciences, Rice University) for
ISA Study Abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina
I've decided to change my major (Chemistry -> Cognitive Sciences) because I decided I do actually like people. I really want to continue traveling. I learned how to be independent and more emotionally stable.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | University of Belgrano |
| 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. |
Honestly, the academics were a bit of a joke. It was interesting to see the very different system of grading, teaching, and professor interaction. Basically, the profs are remarkably unengaged in comparison to profs at Rice. They just don't really appear to care about the classes or the students. This makes it rather difficult for the students to care when the teachers obviously don't. The students clearly weren't there to study and didn't take the academic program seriously. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The whole ISA office staff was really friendly, accessible, and helpful. I really enjoyed talking with them. Some of the included excursions were weaker than others. One of the biggest things that felt lacking was that cliques formed really quickly and we weren't encouraged to meet other people from the program. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in the Belgrano neighborhood with my wonderful host mom and her son. <br /><br /> I was very fortunate in my housing placement- it was like I was a daughter in the family. |
| * Food: |
If you like spicy food, Argentina can't deliver. But they have a great selection of sweets, beef, and wine. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I traveled...a lot...all over. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
BA has a high rate of theft and pickpocketing. Many of my friends were robbed while there, but it's possible to decrease your risks. Medically, the country is very accessible and ISA has a good insurance plan included. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About $250 included a lot of travel expenses. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Visas when traveling can be expensive. Traveler's checks are a pain and relatively useless and unnecessary. |
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? | Intermediate I (SPAN 201) |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced with friends, in class, with my host family, while traveling, in daily situations. I was surprised how many natives spoke English and it was sometimes frustrating when I was trying to explain something in Spanish and they would encourage me to take the "easy route." |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | This is a good program for a student who wants to be "comfortable." Sure, it's possible to break out of that, but it takes deliberate effort. |
