Medical Spanish in Buenos Aires Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I did the Medical Spanish program at Elebaires, which was AWESOME. I would highly recommend it to anyone going into a health care field. I was in a language class and a class about Argentina's healthcare system with four other students. The small class size was really great, and so was all the staff at Elebaires. My Spanish improved so much in this class, and I also learned alot about how healthcare works in another country. We got to visit three hospitals, some medical and dental schools and research facilities, and visit with healthcare legislators at the National Congress, which was fascinating, and because everything was in Spanish, very educational!

On-site administration of your program

I thought the Sol staff was very helpful and friendly. Whenever we were traveling, I was really impressed by the accommodations they got for us. The restaurants and hotels paid for by the program were all way nicer than I was expecting (way nicer than I would have gotten traveling alone!). On that note, I know that when you look at your program and see that you will be taking an 18 hour, overnight bus trip to get to and from Iguazu Falls, you will picture bus trips you have taken in the US and dread that long drive. You are going to be very pleasantly surprised when you actually get on the micro in Buenos Aires! Besides, Iguazu Falls is worth seeing no matter how you get there!

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved my host mom! She was incredibly kind and helpful, and we still keep in touch. Her apartment was in a very nice, safe area. I shared a room with a girl from my home university, and there was also another American girl in the room across the hall from us. The homestay was one of the best parts of the trip, because it really helps you improve your Spanish, and also make friends!

The food in Argentina is really unique and good, and you should definitely try as much as you can! Especially alfajores! I will say if vegetables are important in your ordinary diet, you will be shocked when you first get to Argentina. You have to work to find food other than carbs and red meat! For my program at least, lunch was on our own, so I just made sure to get a salad/something with fruit or veggies for lunch, and I was fine. However, I would say that if you choose to buy food from the grocery store (which I often did), stick to the big chains (Carrefour, Disco), and not the small, family owned stores when it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables. I got sick from a salad I bought at a little grocery store, but never had any problems at the Carrefour near my host mom's apartment.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

For the most part this was really good. I really liked living with the host family! Also, taking the subway to class, going to stores and restaurants, and in general just living in the city kind of forces you to immerse yourself in the culture and language. In our group, there were a lot of students who spoke no Spanish at all, so when we did things as a group (like excursions), everything was in English. That is my only complaint though, and I don't really know if it was avoidable anyway.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

N/A

Buenos Aires is not an exceptionally dangerous city if you stay in the right areas, but there is alot of petty crime. You have to be much more careful of thieves than you would be in an American city. Someone in our group got their laptop, iPhone, and passport stolen while sitting at a table in a popular coffee shop, and never realized anything was gone until she got up to leave . Also, it is risky to carry a smartphone. Very few people in Argentina have iPhones, so they are very popular targets for pickpockets. I always carried my money and rental Blackberry in the inside pocket of my jacket (not in my purse), and NEVER EVER took my laptop or iPhone outside of my host mom's apartment. I never had anything stolen from me. It is really just a matter of being cautious and careful. Also, I would add for girls that you have to be extra aware and cautious. Stay in groups as much as possible. Nothing serious happened to anyone in our group, but I'm sure that every single girl got some kind of unwanted attention at least once on the trip. I think the subways were the worst place for this. My three female friends and I had two slightly scary run-ins while we were together, both on the subways in the daytime. I took the subways alone once and never again! Funnily enough, I actually felt very safe walking alone, even at night, in the Palermo and Recoleta areas where I spent most of my time. You just have to be careful and aware everywhere you go, and you will be fine.

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

Buenos Aires is not cheap, but if you are smart with your money you can get by comfortably on around $50 a week.

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

Select all that apply

• Host Family

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• Americans
• Host Family

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• Americans

• Learning more Spanish
• Iguazu Falls
• Exploring the city

• I can't really think of anything

The Academic or Linguist