An unforgettable and amazing experience! January 03, 2025
By Kaylin B (Biology and Spanish, Wofford College) - abroad from 08/28/2024 to 12/10/2024 with
SIT Study Abroad: Argentina - Public Health in Urban Environments
During my experience abroad I learned a lot about the health care system in Argentina and had the opportunity to travel to Mendoza and Misiones to learn from professionals and witness first-hand what we learned about during our classes. Along with health care opportunities, I was also able to visit the mountains in Mendoza and go to Iguazu Falls in Misiones. During the last month, I completed an internship with a neonatologist. Lastly, I gained valuable friendships with the students in my program! This experience was definitely worthwhile, and I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to study abroad with this program.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| 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. |
I absolutely loved my experience studying abroad in Argentina! This was such an incredible opportunity, and I would encourage any student with an interest in public health, the medical field, or any other profession related to helping others to participate in this program. The balance of cultural immersion, traveling, studying, and learning was perfect for allowing students the freedom to learn and explore a new country and culture while also ensuring they furthered their Spanish skills and knowledge of the healthcare system. Each staff member was supportive and helpful throughout the entire process, and they were always willing to help! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The on-site administration of this program is incredible! No matter if you need help with an assignment or a personal issue they are always willing to help you however they can. Through this program you develop close and strong connections with the staff. They are extremely caring and supportive. I am so thankful for this staff and how much they helped me during my time studying in Argentina. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was nervous before studying abroad in Buenos Aires as I am from a small town and have never taken public transportation alone. Through surveys before the program began, I had the opportunity to explain my concern and worries in order for the staff to be able to better support me. My homestay was a 10 minute walk from the school, which helped me feel more at ease during the beginning of the program. My host mom was absolutely incredible! She was extremely supportive and always there when I needed her. I was worried about feeling homesick while abroad, but she helped me by taking me to various places throughout the city and talking with me everyday. I am so blessed and thankful for the connection I built with her, and I believe this program did an amazing job at pairing me with my host mom. |
| * Food: |
The food in Argentina is AMAZING!! If you like pizza, pasta, empanadas, cakes/sweets, steak, and coffee, then this program is for you! Every night my host mom would cook for me, which is definitely something I miss! Also, during excursions many times you have group dinner with the other students and program staff which helps you learn more about them and build stronger connections! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt extremely integrated with the local culture as I began to go to cafes throughout the city with other students in my program and even made some friends with individuals from Argentina. In my experience, everyone I met in Argentina was kind and loved telling me more about the culture and city. At first it felt intimidating to live in such a large city, however with the support of the staff and other students it became a lot easier. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Overall, this city was safe, and there was not a time where I felt unsafe. As with any study abroad program it is important to ensure that you travel in groups and never alone at night. Additionally, make sure that you do not have your cell phone out in public places. If you have it in a bag, make sure you have your bag in front of you or where others cannot easily access it. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I would choose this program 100 times again! My goal is to become an OBGYN and through this program I not only learned about the health care system in Argentina, but I also had the opportunity to travel to various regions to learn from health care professionals and complete an internship with a neonatologist. This program was the perfect balance of freedom and immersion for me. Also, I became extremely close with the other students in my program and formed friendships that I will value for the rest of my life. |
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) |
This program does a great job at providing you with opportunities to help you live on a student's budget. For example, every breakfast and dinner meal was provided by my host mom. When we had group lunch or dinner with the program, they paid. During the first week or so they showed us a quick serve restaurant close to the school that you could get lunch at as a cheap option. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes in Buenos Aires to choose from in order to find food that works for your budget. We were also given a card that they reloaded which I used for lunch. Therefore, the only expenses I had were for my laundry, personal items, and food if I wanted to spend more money for lunch or go out with friends for dinner. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | One way that I saved money was eating in with my host mom almost every night. There were only a few nights that I did not eat with her and had to pay for my dinner. Also, it is cheaper to take the bus than Uber or Cabify so if you have the option I would take the bus if you are wanting to save money. |
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 |
In my opinion this program did a great job at encouraging the students to use the language while also allowing us the opportunity to speak with each other in English as a break from always speaking Spanish. My host mom did not speak English so this was an opportunity for me to practice my Spanish and work on my grammar. In class, we spoke Spanish with the professors. During excursions we were encouraged to speak Spanish with students in the program and with the individuals at the places we visited. Also, all of our assignments were written in Spanish. |
| 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? | 400-Level Elective |
| 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? | I think the best way to practice is to listen to your favorite tv shows or podcasts in Spanish to get used to listening to different people speaking as you will do a lot of listening when you study abroad. Also, try to read governmental or health related information in Spanish as this can help you with some of the vocabulary you will see. My Spanish class in Argentina was focused on this as well which helped me in the other courses. If you have any friends or family that speak Spanish you could practice having short conversations with them before studying abroad. This program does a great job at supporting and preparing you the best they can when you arrive, but it definitely helps you personally if you practice listening and speaking before arriving because this was the biggest difference between my experience studying abroad and studying in the United States. |
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? | 0 |
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? | Before going on this program I was extremely nervous as I had never flown on an airplane alone nor been away from my family for more than a couple of weeks. Also, I was not sure if my Spanish abilities would be good enough for me to be able to develop connections with my host mom or understand the professors. However, this was the best experience of my life. I wish I knew that I did not need to worry about all these things because the staff and my host mom would be some of the most supportive and kindest people I had ever met. |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
