Stop, drop what you're doing, and study abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina! Past Review
By Talia H (Biology/Spanish, University of Kentucky) - abroad from 02/01/2014 to 07/19/2014 with
Study Abroad Programs in Argentina
My mind was opened to a whole new realm of experiences. I learned a lot about culture and priorities but also about myself. I gained a lot of confidence on this trip.
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. |
Compared to my biology courses at the University of Kentucky, this semester was extremely easy. However, I specifically chose courses that would be interesting and easy since none of the credits I took during the semester counted towards my major. I came to Argentina to learn Spanish and have a fun and relaxing semester. I definitely accomplished that. I took classes with locals and was able to make some local friends which I really enjoyed. I also took a gender studies class which I found incredibly interesting and I learned a lot even though the material was not challenging. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Choosing Sol Education Abroad was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The group was an intimate 13 of us and we became instant Sol-mates. The on-site director, Raul, is probably the most pleasant man I have ever met. He helped us out with anything we needed and usually went above and beyond the call of duty. Everyone else who was studying abroad in Buenos Aires with us who wasn't with Sol wished that they were because we had a lot more activities and the program was much cheaper as well. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host mom and I get along super well. She was so incredibly helpful and loving the whole time I was there. It was just a bit of an adjustment for me not living on my own. Obviously, its much easier when you have someone cooking, cleaning, and caring for you, but I missed having my own place sometimes to invite friends over to hang out. |
| * Food: |
No one can really dislike Argentine food. It doesn't have crazy spices or any extremely odd dishes that would really offend anyone. I personally really enjoy the food. The meat here is delicious and the restaurant food is cheap compared to the US. However, they eat an obscene amount of bread/carbohydrates here. Even though it tastes fine, sometimes I just really craved veggies and fruits. The staple diet is definitely red meat and carbs (bread, potatos, or rice). I just feel like the overall nutrition isn't balanced here. I took a cooking class with locals in the college of nutrition and I realized that the nutrition knowledge is a little behind the times here. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I really looked to make local friends and integrate into the culture and I was able to do that. However, many people came here with no intention of learning spanish or integrating and they managed to get along just fine as well. It just depends what you want to get out of the experience. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
My program director set me up with one of his private family doctors and he set up an appointment with me when I needed one. I paid in cash (about $40) and was attended promptly and professionally. Even though I speak Spanish pretty well, the doctor spoke perfect English. I felt very comfortable and well taken care of. The main difference I noticed between here and home is that they require A LOT less paperwork. |
| * Safety: |
I never had any major problems in the city but you definitely have to be careful and smart. Many people get pickpocketed and robbing is not uncommon. I (unintelligently) was talking to a friend on a pretty dark street in the middle of the night before going out and two guys ran up to us and pulled out a knife and tried to rob us. My friend who I was with actually managed to scare them away before they took anything but it was still a scary experience. You just have to be smart and not go out with a bunch of valuables (iPhone, credit cards) and never walk alone at night on dark streets. If you're cautious you will be fine. Another note: You don't have to worry about being shot or kidnapped in the city. Robbings are by and large the most common. |
| 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) |
Food, alcohol, and public transportation is very cheap here which is awesome. I was able to do a lot and live very well on about $100/week. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Food- $30-$50/week Transportation- $5-10/week |
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 |
Our director encouraged us to speak in Spanish. There is no language requirement for the program so it was not really reasonable to speak in Spanish with my friends who came here not having taken any prior Spanish courses. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| 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? | SPA320 |
| 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? | Just find local friends and hang out with people who are also intent on learning. You just have to be outgoing and take the initiative. I had a lot of luck in making friends. All you really have to do is add a new person you meet on facebook and ask them to hang out! There's this really cool event in BA called Mundo Lingo that goes on in bars three times a week and the whole purpose of it is to go and practice languages. I learned a lot from going there and made some cool friends. |
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? | Buenos Aires is not on a beach and that the closest one is like 5 hours away. Bring down American dollars to exchange. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
