A Roller Coaster Ride Past Review
By A student (International Studies and Spanish, Spelman College) - abroad from 08/28/2018 to 12/11/2018 with
SIT Study Abroad: Argentina - Transnationalism and Comparative Development in South America
I learned that I can live abroad for a long period of time and that it's important to share my story with others around the world.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
This program is academically rigorous. All the classes are taught in Spanish. The great thing about this program is that often times the world is your classroom. Many of my lectures were held in different countries across the Southern Cone region. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The host country program administration team is great and is always there for you if you need anything. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Everyone lives with a host family. My host family was wonderful. |
| * Food: |
Argentine food was hard to adjust to for me (they don't use a lot of spices). But, I did love all the asados. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
As a black student, it was hard to immerse myself in the local culture. I stood out everywhere I went. Although I made friends and enjoyed my time in Argentina, it is hard to adjust if you are a student of color. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I received allergy shots while abroad. I also sprained my ankle and was treated with care. I believe health care was easily accessible and my program assisted me with all my needs. |
| * Safety: |
I felt relatively safe in Argentina, but there are pickpockets everywhere. I got my phone stolen. I advise future students to be aware of their surroundings and belongings at all times. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This experience was invaluable and taught me a lot about myself and my aspirations in 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) |
I would give Argentina a 3. It wasn't very expensive, but it was not inexpensive. It helped that SIT provided a lunch stipend and covered our transportation costs to school if we had to take public transportation. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $30 - 50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Take public transportation instead of taxis. Only take a taxi at night. |
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 |
We were encouraged to speak Spanish 24/7. |
| 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? | 300 level course about Latin American literature |
| 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? | Start watching shows in Spanish, read articles in Spanish, and try to talk as much as you can before you leave and while you're in the destination country. |
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? |
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? | I wish I knew more about the black community in Argentina. I started to discover it during the end of my program. |
