Incredible, Amazing, Changed My Life! I love you Buenos Aires! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The teachers were very nice and truly cared about their students and that they understand and the learn the best they can to speak the language. They speak spanish 95% of the time which is very different than classes in the U.S.A but I felt to be a very effective method.

On-site administration of your program

ISA was INCEDIBLE. Hands down the best study abroad program by far. I met a lot of other study abroad students who went through other programs such as CEA and AEP, and none of them were satisfied with what their programs had to offer nor the way they were treated and taken care of. Every person I talked to wish they went through ISA not only because they took such good care of us and provided anything we needed/wanted, but they are also substantially cheaper than the rest. I chose ISA initially because of a recommendation from my best friend who studied with them 2 years ago and I am so glad I listened to him. They provided all the information we needed about the city as well as what to be aware of to be safe. My program was just the right size and we all became best friends. My expectations were definitely surpassed.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I coudn't have asked for a better host family. My mom made the best food, was always there to help if I had any questions about the city, and in the end she became like a 2nd mom to me. She used to be an english professor so she was able to help me figure out how to say certain things when I couldn't say it in Spanish. Every night we would sit down and have a 2 hour dinner, just getting to know each other and practice my spanish. The host family was one of my favorite parts of the trip.

She cooked everything I liked and if she made something I didn't like, she wouldn't make it anymore. She was great. We had a lot of good Argentine Steak and papas fritas.. my favorite!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

ISA took us on a good handful of excursions. My favorite by far was Iguazu Falls. They provided a really nice hotel near a popular part of the city. The hikes were incredible, and they even flew us back home the last day (only 2 hour trip)... which saved us 16 hours on a bus. All the other programs didn't provide that.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

It's a huge urban city. Like the rest in the world, whether your in big cities like Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, the safety level is going fall. It's just common sense. I felt very safe the entire time however I was always very cautious and aware of my surroundings. I also followed the rules and listened to everything ISA told us in order to prevent danger and be safe. Nothing ever happened to me and I never got mugged, pick pocketed, or threatened. However, that wasn't the same for a good handful of my friends. Again you can't blame Buenos Aires, because any big city you go to you will run into the same problems. If you cautious and make smart decisions, you'll be fine. Simple as that.

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

I practiced the language with my teachers, host family, and Argentine's during daily interactions in the city. I hardly practiced with my American friends though. It definitely helps to use the language in everyday interactions because the Argentines love and respect you more for it, however, it is definitely not a necessity. A lot of people are capable of speaking English in the city.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family