Should have brought my family Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Academia Buenos Aires was very patient and helpful in instructing me in the Spanish language. Cecilia , Belen and Diana got me to relax enough to start learning. Belen made the classes challenging and fun.

On-site administration of your program

Raul de la Mano made the program. If it was not for Raul and Beatriz Barragan the time in Buenos Aires would not have gone as smooth as it did. Raul went as far as to call my wife and talk to her about continuing speaking Spanish when I came back home.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The host mother did not talk to me or the other students that stayed in the house. She did not speak any English and my Spanish was not that great when I arrived. I spoke more with another roomie that was not in our program, that was just renting a room. They did move me to another room in the house because the neighbors next door would make lots of noise from 12 to 5 in the morning.

I was disappointed in the food that was prepared, it seemed that it was prepackaged food. I told my wife to never serve me cornflakes ever again because that is what I had every morning for breakfast. Cornflakes, tangerines, little toasts with jelly that I brought for the host mother, and tea. EVERY MORNING for 8 weeks. I had to fast for a month for Ramadan and asked the host mother if I could have dinner earlier since I had to eat by 6am so I could start my fasting. Many times she would not serve dinner until 9:30 pm , so I would just skip that meal, or eat on my own earlier(knowing that she was not going to have dinner prepared).Also I would buy empanadas the night before because I knew she would only have cornflakes for breakfast. Cornflakes would not keep me full for 12+ hours.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I wanted to learn to Tango dance, but when the time came for the lessons I felt left out of the group and did not get learn to dance the Tango. It seemed that I was left out of a lot of things that the group did because I was so much older than them. Since I was not included in what the other Sol Education students did, I walk around the city by myself. It was ok at first, but after a week I got bored and depressed because I could not share my experience with anyone. I tried to take Tango lessons on my own but that turned out to be just as bad of an experience. It was not until the Summer II group came in that they started to include me in activities that they were doing.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never worried about my safety, because I am a 5th degree Black Belt and I am always looking at what my situation is. In the areas that I was in, I never felt unsafe.

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

It seemed that $100 barely covered the transportation and food. It cost more like $150 a week

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

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• Americans

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• Other

• Iguazu Falls
• Raul de la Mano
• Beatriz Barragan

• Being aware that not everyone that does this study away program is 20 years old. I did not have much in common with the younger students and they did not have much in common with me. Just make sure that all the students young or old are not having troubles in the program
• The host family that I stayed with was not that great. If I had to do it again , I would have asked to be moved, but I did not want to be a problem to people.

The Academic or Linguist