So grateful for my time in Argentina!! July 22, 2025
By Maya K (Brandeis University) - abroad from 02/18/2025 to 06/02/2025 with
SIT Study Abroad: Argentina - Social Movements and Human Rights
My study abroad experience was so so worth it! Argentina is an incredibly country with a rich history of social and political mobilization, and I feel so lucky to have been able to immerse myself in the local culture. I met some really amazing people and my Spanish abilities improved immensely. Traveling across the country, living with a host family, and participating in a super meaningful internship made this program one of the best and most formative experiences of my life.
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. |
If you are looking for a non-traditional study abroad educational experience, this program is for you. This program is very hands-on, with field trips, visiting guest lecturers, and two big trips to the north and the south of the country. The classes are certainly rigorous, not necessarily in terms of intellectual difficulty, but in terms of the volume of work assigned, but as long as you remain committed and ask for help when you need it, you will be perfectly fine. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
"Las chicas" are awesome! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My homestay was by far the BEST part of my experience! My host mom Mariana is one of the warmest, kindest, most interesting people I have ever met. She made me feel so welcome in her home, which was always full of guests, laughter, and music (and also pets!). If you're nervous about doing a homestay, I can honestly say that I would not have experienced the same level of cultural and language immersion if I had not lived with a host family. |
| * Food: |
In my personal opinion, Argentinian cuisine left something to be desired, but if you eat beef, you'll probably have a better time of it than I did. I do still dream of and miss all of the delicious sweets and pastries, like medialunas and alfajores! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt very connected to Buenos Aires, particularly thanks to the homestay experience and my internship. SIT's program style makes it much easier to integrate into the local culture when compared to other study abroad programs. I will say that because we took all of our classes together, it took a little bit of extra effort to meet and make local friends, but if that is something that is important to you, it is definitely possible. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Fortunately, I never needed to see a doctor while I was abroad, but I know that everyone who did had a good experience. |
| * Safety: |
I always felt very safe in Buenos Aires! SIT prepared us very well, and I took normal safety precautions as I would in any big city. |
| 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) |
Our host families provided two meals a day, and SIT gave us a stipend card for lunches, so it isn't too hard to stick to a budget. However, I am someone who likes to go out and shop, so I definitely ended up spending a lot of 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 |
SIT always encouraged us to speak Spanish when in the program center and on excursions. We weren't always great about it, but that was through no fault of SIT. |
| 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 |
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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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? | Time is going to fly, so make the most of it! Walk around your neighborhood, visit parks and museums and cultural centers, take a tango class, spend time with your host family, try as many cafes and ice cream places as you can, and really just soak it all up. At the end of our program, we read letters from previous students, and one line really stuck with me: the whole point of studying abroad is to return. To return and bring everything that you have learned with you. Argentina will change you if you let it, and I highly recommend that you do! |
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! |
