A Month is too Short of Time Past Review
By Samantha J (University of Arkansas - Fayetteville) - abroad from 05/24/2014 to 06/20/2014 with
Study Abroad Programs in Argentina
I learned so much about myself in just a month. I tried new things, broke out of my shell to do things alone, kept an open mind and so much more. I had read that after studying abroad you can change and I did not think it was possible for the 1 month I was there. I was wrong though. I came back with a new outlook on life for sure.
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. |
The courses at university were great. They fully immersed you in the language. We only spoke in spanish in class, we took a "field trip" one day and were given a list of various things to find. They made sitting in class for so long seem not so long. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Raul and Beatriz are awesome! They were always there for us and used various forms to communicate. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
The food was probably the best part. So much meat. I wasn't much of a meat eater before going but I thoroughly enjoyed it and miss it! It has so much flavor. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We had culture events several nights a week. I felt like I got to experience all parts of Buenos Aires. We did everything from taking a Tango lesson to visiting an Argentine ranch. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe while in Buenos Aires. The people were very nice and would approach us and tell us to wear our bags in the front or to put our phones up in some areas. |
| 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) |
I figured out the minimum you could live off of a day and tried it for a few days. It was very easy to spend only $8-$10 US a day. I bought a lot of souvenirs towards the end of my stay and still spent what came out to less than $100 a week. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $75-$125 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't go crazy at first. You are there fore a while and have plenty of time to try everything. Spread it out some and take advantage of places just off the main street. The same items can be found at a cheaper price. |
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 |
I feel like we used it as much as possible for only being there a month and having a wide range of student abilities. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | I listened to everyone and learned a surprising amount of vocab. I wish I would have spoken more though. Talk to everyone you can. Take advantage of being in a foreign country. And don't let locals talk to you in English because they will try. |
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? | I wish that I had known more about the transportation in BsAs before I went. Perhaps I would have been less intimidated by the bus system then. I also wish I had known to not rent a phone because they have one for you. And that I would have exchanged money at the airport to at least give myself a few pesos to start out with. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
