Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Studying Public Health in Buenos Aires Past Review

By (Public Health, Tulane University) - abroad from 08/27/2019 to 12/10/2019 with

SIT Study Abroad: Argentina - Public Health in Urban Environments

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to navigate daily life in Spanish and how to adapt to another culture. I also learned a lot about health systems (since I had not studied public health before) and how to talk about them comparatively and evaluate them.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The work was not difficult, but the class schedule required adjustment since the semester is shortened into 2 months to allow for a one monh internship, so the class hours are long.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Very receptive to students and tried their best to organize opportunities for us to learn.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Wonderful! I lived in the city center with a single mom and she was extremely welcoming and accommodating.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Sometimes it was hard to meet locals since the students from the program were so closely linked and the classes were not with locals. The homestay helped with this though.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Buenos Aires is just generally not a safe as many cities in the US. Petty theft is common, so students have to be more watchful of phones and wallets.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I have never traveled to South America before, so I needed the structure and guidance this program provided. It allowed me to learn in a comfortable environment.

Finances

* 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)

The program provided per diems for lunch and planned travel using tuition. Host parents provide breakfast and dinner. Very little extra money is needed unless the student wants to go out for meals or has other needs.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $20
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Take advantage of the meals you are provided, but also since the dollar is pretty strong in Argentina, it's ok to eat out a couple times a week. Bringing home leftovers for lunch can help save money.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

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

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Advanced
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? Pre 20th century literature (4020)
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Practice with friends from your home country, too! Non native speakers can learn a lot from each other, especially with the amount of time you spend together.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Planned Travel
  • Homestay
  • Prices
* What could be improved?
  • More efficient class time
  • Make more local friends
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how to integrate myself in to Buenos Aires (joing gyms, running groups, frisbee teams, etc). to make more local friends. I finally figured it out near the end of the program, but I wish I had some guidance of how to integrate myself with groups of people my age at the beginning.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!