Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Mendoza is a fantastic city that I would visit again in a heartbeat Past Review

By (Business Finance, Trinity University) - abroad from 02/24/2014 to 07/06/2014 with

Universidad Nacional de Cuyo: Mendoza - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about myself, how I handle challenges and change, I think it was definitely a worthwhile experience.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The university system in Argentina is very different, and as this is a program is direct enrollment into the Universidad de Cuyo in Mendoza, this new system takes some getting used to.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I had a bit of trouble with my living arrangements in that my host mother left to go to Europe for a month, and she also was not always feeding me as she was supposed to, I really liked her though and other than these particular instances we got along very well.

* Food:

As I said above, I often lacked food as my host mom would not always have the time to pick something up or cook it.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I think being involved directly in the university in Mendoza really helped me integrate into the culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any experience with healthcare in Argentina because luckily I had no issues while abroad.

* Safety:

I would say Mendoza is a relatively safe city if you are being smart. I would advise to not walk around the city with headphones in your ears and to stay in pairs if you are going to walk around late at night.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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)

Living in Argentina is not very expensive, and unless I was doing excursions or other activities around Mendoza, it was pretty easy to stick to a student's budget.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $20-30
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Take advantage of your families, if you are being fed there is no need to spend money on food just to go out to dinner.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

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

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? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Advanced Grammar
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? Try and speak in Spanish as much as you can.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The people I met
  • The emphasis on travel
  • The integration into the Argentine university
* What could be improved?
  • Communication between the university and the program
  • Process for changing host families
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That my experience abroad would be over in what seemed like an instant.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!