An experience I will remember forever Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

For a study abroad program, there is a good deal of readings every night and the amount of time spent in class is much higher than I am used to at Wellesley College. All resources are provided to the students in large compilations of readings in mostly Spanish, some English. The amount of actual assignments are small, limited to final papers and exams, in addition to the ISP at the end of the semester. This is not a discussion-based course, as most of the various professors lectured through the entire period. Although the idea of experiential learning is highly publicized by SIT, in my opinion, there was a limited amount of such experiences. One amazing part of the academic experience was the amount of travel we were able to do, in visiting three other countries in the Southern Cone, and being able to compare experiences and lifestyles among them all.

On-site administration of your program

The directors and coordinators are amazing. They are so involved (admittedly sometimes a bit too much) and provide assistance with almost everything we needed. I got strep throat and a few other mild illnesses while abroad, and they made sure I had great medical care at any time. They also offer great help with the ISP, you just have to ask.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I had an amazing homestay experience. To be honest, I was not looking forward to living with a host family, but it turned out to be my favorite part of the entire semester. Not every family gets along with their student as well as mine did with me, but if you make the effort to be involved, most families are really excited to have you.

The pizza is great, tons of ice cream and gelato, and the empanadas are delicious. Diet includes lots of meat and breads, depending on your family, and not a huge amount of vegetables and salads. Palermo Soho has some great restaurants and cafés.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Because SIT is largely US students and local students are not involved, it is a little difficult to integrate to the local culture and meet Argentine. There are some great programs (Argentina for All, BAIS, and Pals) that you can add on Facebook to find out about events for international students.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Great access to health care at Hospital Aleman, which is the German hospital. You always need your passport and have to pay upfront (about 500 pesos), but you should be reimbursed some of that when you return to the States.

We had very few incidents occur, none with any safety concerns. One students was pickpocketed and I had some bogus charges on my bank statement after using an ATM in Uruguay, but other than that, no risks to any student.

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

SIT program give a perdiem, or a small amount of money, for lunches and transportation. It was a great help, but it is certainly easy to spend more than what they give. There is no need to spend much, but going to bars and boliches, doing touristy things, and going out to eat can definitely add up.

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

The program classes and structured activities were all supposed to be in Spanish, though sometimes as a collective the group of students steered things more toward English. It's really up to each student individually how much they plan to practice the language, but the other students decisions can also play a large part in the success of that plan.

Select all that apply

• Host Family
• Hotel

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• Americans
• Host Family

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• Americans

• My host family and RIVER PLATE
• The ISP period and resources
• Travelling to Montevideo, Asuncion, and Porto Alegre

• The restrictions on individual travel (SIT International has some strict rules)
• The amount of experiential learning could be higher

The Academic or Linguist