Cultural Immersion and Community at the 'End of the Earth' March 03, 2025
By A student (Environmental Science, Vanderbilt University) - abroad from 09/05/2022 to 12/18/2022 with
SIT Study Abroad: Argentina: People, Environment, and Climate Change in Patagonia and Antarctica
My time in Ushuaia, Argentina was a highlight of my college experience. If you are looking to improve your Spanish, expose yourself to a new culture, and live in one of the most beautiful small cities in Patagonia along the "end of the Earth", this is the program for you. Ushuaia itself is like a big small town nestled between the end of the Andes mountain range and the ocean. So, there's plenty to do as long as you like hiking, skiing, and immersing yourself in local culture. For example, with other students from the program, I went skiing, horseback riding along the beach, and hiking (sometimes with our host families, too!) in my spare time. The people you will meet are kind, friendly, and warm. Beyond your course programming — which does a wonderful job introducing you to local history, sites of interest, and activities — taking advantage of your stay with a host family can open up lots of doors for you as well. For example, my host sister was around my age and with her, I felt included into her friend group and her family. I joined a local rugby club and experienced everything from the movie theater and mall to nightlife. Doing all of this in Spanish with my host family and friends helped me improve my language in a way that felt natural and fun. Of course, there are challenges to any experience like this, but in my opinion, SIT sets you up for success so long as you are ready to take advantage of all that Ushuaia and its people have to offer.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My homestay was really what made this experience. I was matched with a family of three — a mom and two college-age children around my age. During my time in Ushuaia, I grew very close with my host sister and older host brother. They welcomed me in as a sibling of their own and I was included in all aspects of the household — from celebrations to daily chores to activities with friends. I am still in touch with my host sister, who is one year older than me, to this day, and I know that I have a home away from home in Argentina whenever I return :) |
| * Food: |
As a vegetarian, the diet in Argentina was somewhat of a challenge to adjust to. Luckily, my host sister was also a vegetarian, and so it made the adjustment smoother and helped us bond from the beginning. Generally, though, the diet is very meat-heavy. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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) |
Argentina is very affordable for US students! I was able to stick to a tight student budget (by US standards) and still afford to participate in activities like skiing, horseback riding, and going out with friends. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | less than $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure you do the Argentina blue dollar exchange for USD versus the exchange houses. SIT program leaders will help you with this, so just bring your USD ready to exchange and you can take care of it once you arrive in Ushuaia (don't, for example, do it at the airport beforehand). |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
This is an immersion program! |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | College level Spanish |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Immersion experiences like this one can be challenging for a multitude of reasons — you're far away from home, in a different culture, speaking a different language. You're bound to have some hard days, and occasionally even feel homesick. But overall, this experience was truly such a positive one and it truly changed my perspective in ways I am still coming to understand now, a few years later. It was a highlight of college for sure. |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
