The Coolest People and Places I've Encountered January 30, 2026

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The academic experience was enriching in that it was unique, mostly low-stakes, and was focused on themes relevant to the place itself, Ushuaia, Argentina (with global applications of course); I wouldn't have it any other way. It was much more significant to me to be able to do place-based studies without the immense academic pressure of a typical U.S. university semester; I was able to feel like I lived in Ushuaia, rather than working on/staring at my computer the majority of the time.

On-site administration of your program

I am quite certain that I am biased, but I can't not give the Ushuaia-based program administration 5 stars. They were joyful, fun, knowledgeable, caring, curious, accepting, and supportive. They felt like home to me, and I am very grateful for the sense of community they fostered, which made me feel safe and comfortable while navigating a strange but beautiful journey that I'll never forget.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

With the exception of the three overnight excursions, and the few nights at a hotel at the beginning and end of the semester, all of us were housed with a different, local host family. Therefore, I can only speak to my personal experience. My host family was wonderful: I felt welcome, comfortable, peaceful, and safe (and their house was very cute and whimsical, so that was awesome). The nature of a homestay, especially with a family that speaks a different language than you, is inevitably awkward and challenging at times (for me, this was a daily occurrence), but it was a crucial and meaningful aspect of the experience.

Generally, the food wasn't fantastic. However, I don't think that having super tasty food is necessary to have a good experience; it certainly makes an impact, but the program was so cool, that it was sort of just a hurtle that we had to jump and get over. Breakfast and dinner was provided by our homestay families, so the food experience differed between myself and my peers. We had to buy our own lunches, which I honestly enjoyed because it forced us to explore and get comfortable in Ushuaia and practice Spanish. I do want to note that my vegan/ vegetarian peers had a more challenging time with the food, and so did some of my peers with different homestay situations.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Feeling integrated with the local culture was one of the program's priorities. The homestay experience, the built-in internship with a local organization, lectures given exclusively in Spanish by different local researchers/ professionals, and commuting to classes and the main program building by walking/ taking the city bus, all made me feel like a participant in the local community (to the extent that I could given the timeframe, language barrier, and my personal need for alone time!).

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Before the program started, I went to CVS for a travel health appointment, and was recommended and received a Typhoid vaccination. I remembering being sick twice while in Ushuaia, and a third time at the very end of the program/ on my way home from Argentina. The first time, I went to a pharmacy for cough syrup, which was a little difficult to navigate with the language barrier, but it worked out; the other times I felt sick, I just took Tylenol. Some of my peers visited clinics, and while that experience was different from home (and maybe more confusing due to the language barrier and cultural differences), the program staff was involved and supportive whenever possible. Some prevalent health issues included a common cold/ virus, digestive issues, motion/sea sickness (on the boat to Antarctica), and a few cases of suspected food poisoning.

I felt very safe in Ushuaia, during the day and at night (there was at least one time that I was up for longer than 24 hours, and I probably felt safe the whole time). I loved taking the city bus -- it felt safe and calm. There were some uncomfortable experiences with Uber drivers, but I think that happens everywhere. The conditions of streets/ sidewalks/ roads, along with the presence of stray dogs, was sometimes tricky to navigate, though I didn't have any really bad experiences, personally. I think remaining engaged and attentive is key!

It brings happy tears to my eyes thinking about the program, because while I was having a challenging internal/ mental experience, I made friends with cool, funny, and multi-faceted individuals that made me feel comfortable being myself. The Southern Patagonian and Antarctic landscapes were incredible to witness, spend time in, photograph, and now treasure. At the risk of sounding cheesy, I would choose this program in every lifetime!!!!!!!!

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

I didn't organize or make a budget for myself. I know from my personal routine of café-hopping, using public transportation and Ubers, and sometimes going out to bars/ restaurants with friends, that I wasn't going to spend a ton of money. Were were also periodically given a bit of money for our commutes from our host family's houses to our classes. It was relatively easy!

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

Throughout all of our classes/ lectures/ field trips, assignments, the internship, and the homestay experience, we were using Spanish. Other than interactions with my peers, in which we often chose to speak in English, we were encouraged to use only Spanish!

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans
• International Students

• The people
• The sheer beauty of the landscape (especially on our 3 excursions)
• Building community and speaking Spanish in Ushuaia

• The timing of some of the assignments
• The nature of some of the homestay situations