Mostly great Past Review
By Liana (Cardinal Stritch University) - abroad from 06/23/2018 to 07/27/2018 with
Study Abroad Programs in Argentina
I learned how to stand up for myself better. I was glad I went and able to experience a new country.
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. |
The classes at Belgrano were definitely demanding. They did not have a lot of resources when it came to getting help, other than talking with the teachers. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
At times, it was hard to get replies from the on-site program director via Whatsapp. Sometimes it would take a day for me to get a reply. But when I did, the situation I needed help with was immediately addressed. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I ended up moving host families once while abroad. My first host mother, Margarita, was very strict and at times controlling. I also did not know that she and her son were both smokers. I never felt welcomed in her home, and felt like a was burden living there. Overall, I was unhappy with the living situation and moved to a house with a lovely host mom, Pini. Pini was an angel and incredibly welcoming for the short time that I stayed with her. She was a great cook and had a great sense of humor. |
| * Food: |
They do not like to use many spices in their food, so sometime the food could get boring. My favorite was chorizo with chimichurri. The milanesa was also delicious. Since they have a heavy Italian influence, it was easy to find pizza and pasta wherever you went! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Belgrano has a school nurse that helped a lot when I got sick. |
| * Safety: |
Always make sure to be aware of your surroundings, as pickpockets are everywhere. Personally, I never had a problem, but it can happen. I preferred using Uber as opposed to the taxis, but be aware that Uber is technically illegal in Argentina. If you are riding by yourself, you will need to sit in the front seat with your driver. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I would choose to take a different program with different classes. Instead of the electives, i would have wanted to take the language courses. |
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) |
If you stick to eating at the University and eating your meals with your host family, then it would be very easy to stick to a budget. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 |
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 |
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| 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? | Intermediate II |
| 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? | Find another person to talk to regularly, whether it be a friend, family member, or classmate. That way you both can help each other and grow. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | The people of Argentina can be very rude, culturally it's just like that. |
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. |
