Transformational Experiential Learning January 05, 2024

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

This program does an excellent job of assigning a workload that is very manageable and educational. It was refreshing to exist in an academic setting in which professors treat students as people first. While I have been frequently told by professors that my health and wellbeing matters to them, this is the first time that I have actually seen that in practice, which created a much healthier and supportive academic environment than I have ever experienced before. It is important to note that you are not a direct matriculation student to an Argentine university but are rather provided with an immersive and experiential education through SIT. This means lectures from a rotating staff of professors who are all preeminent scholars in their field and conversations with members of human rights organizations, social movements, and communities who are directly impacted by the issues that you learn about. All of the courses are taught in Spanish, however, if you are concerned about your Spanish abilities, rest assured that all of the people you will meet with and be taught by are very understanding that most students in the program are still learning the language. Program staff are also very available and do an excellent job of supporting every student's needs. Especially as a lot of the content that you learn about in this program is quite heavy, it is important to remember that you will always have very strong on-site support systems that you can reach out to (whether that is with your host family, the staff, peers, or professional resources!).

On-site administration of your program

I cannot express enough how absolutely WONDERFUL, AMAZING, KIND, and INCREDIBLE the on-site administration is for this program. This program is run by individuals who do a remarkable job of creating long-term, reciprocal relationships of solidarity with the organizations, social movements, and communities that students meet with. They navigate difficult topics, relationships, and situations with grace and compassion. From making sure that they know your name even before you land in Buenos Aires to regularly checking in with each student and making an effort to get to know you, you will be very well taken care of in this program. Oh, and make sure to bring Snickers with you for them!

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was very satisfied with my living arrangements. The housing coordinator for this program does an incredible job of finding good matches between students and families and is there to support in the case that any problems arise with your homestay. It is a huge priority for them that students are placed in safe and healthy environments and they do everything to ensure that is the case. I loved living with my host dads and enjoyed building a relationship with them. Host families in this program genuinely care about building relationships with the students who are living with them, which is something that I really appreciated.

Your homestay will provide breakfast and dinner every day while you are in Buenos Aires. The program ensures that students are placed with a host family that is able to meet any dietary restrictions or accommodations that you might have. For lunch, you are provided with a regular stipend and there are many accessible, cheap, and good places to eat near the academic buildings that you are based in. More expensive meals and regularly eating out comes with more out-of-pocket expenses but Buenos Aires has a good food scene that is worth exploring. That being said, I did find myself eating a diet of primarily bread and meat whereas I am used to eating more fresh food on a regular basis. I recommend getting fruits and vegetables from markets (there is one every other block or so) to supplement. If you like spicy food, I also recommend bringing hot sauce with you as there is next to no spicy food in Argentina (other than the occasional Asian restaurant I was able to find). My favorite part about food in Argentina was definitely their meriendas (a kind of afternoon snack that is often cafe con leche and medialunas). Medialunas are especially divine and were definitely a highlight of my experience.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt pretty integrated with the local culture. Between living with my host family and meeting with other people in the community, I learned a lot about Argentine culture. While the program does a really good job of encouraging social and cultural integration, I also think this is a facet of the experience that is essential for the student to take initiative on. It is really easy to stay in a social bubble of just your peers in the program as it feels more comfortable to always hangout with people that you already know. If I were able to do this experience again, I would want to invest more time and energy in forming friendships with people outside of the program.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

In my third week in Buenos Aires, I got pretty sick and ended up needing to seek medical attention. The international insurance (International SOS) did an excellent job of regularly communicating with me and ensuring that my request was processed quickly. One of the program directors also accompanied me to urgent care and helped me navigate through that process (as I was in a state in which I did not feel particularly equipped to figure out a different health system in a language I am still learning). I was well taken care of throughout the whole process. It is also really important to note that both the program and the international insurance (that comes as a part of being a student with SIT) make mental health and counseling resources very accessible. I definitely recommend taking advantage of these resources as they are covered with insurance and can be very helpful in navigating the challenges that come with study abroad.

I felt quite safe in Buenos Aires. Basic street smarts definitely apply and are important to practice but I never felt that I was in danger while in Buenos Aires. That being said, stealing is rather common so it’s important to not walk with your phone out on the streets and to keep track of your belongings at all times.

I had an incredible and transformative experience with this program. I would 100% choose this program over and over again and cannot recommend it enough.

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

5 - Buenos Aires is a very affordable city to live in.

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

All academics are in Spanish and the program additionally encourages students to speak Spanish outside of the classroom. We also attended Spanish class three times a week to support our language development. That being said, while the program can encourage Spanish being spoken outside of the classroom, it is ultimately the student's choice to do that or not.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans
• International Students

• Experiential learning
• Travel
• Community

• Communication surrounding the ISP (research) process (finding a mentor, timeline of tasks, etc.)

The Academic or Linguist