Fun and Educational: The Best of Both Worlds! Past Review
By Molly C (Spanish/Latin American Studies, George Mason University) for
University of Belgrano: Buenos Aires - Summer PEAL, Argentine and Latin American Studies Program
It was absolutely worthwhile. I gained so much more fluency in the language by being totally immersed in it, and I was able to put my education into use. Living in Buenos Aires was just like living in any big city in the United States except everyone spoke another language- it made me think, or at least consider more, of living abroad in some capacity with my career. It helped open my eyes to the differences among cultures and what every day life can look like in another country.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The teaching was all done in a conversational manner which helped a lot with fluency and getting to use the language and get practical use in the classroom for about 6 straight hours a day. The teaching methods were similar in the states- we worked out of a workbook and then talked about what we worked on and how our time in Argentina was going. Our group was fairly small so it was nice having only a few students in the class so we each got a lot of attention. The workload was sufficient- we did have homework almost every night but not so much that we were spending our entire nights doing it so that we could go out and explore the city. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our faculty advisor was great! She knew a lot about the country and what we could do that was both educational and entertaining. My expectations were not met simply because while we were there, the swine flu had shut most public things down like theaters and sports games, so we couldn't take full advantage of everything- but our advisor did the best she could coming up with alternative activities for us to do. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host mother was very welcoming and accommodating- she really treated me like family. The place I lived was nice but it was hard to get used to things like not having the same type of heating and water systems. My neighborhood, at night, felt a little unsafe because it was more-so on the outskirts of the main city area, but it was close to bus stops where I could go anywhere in the city. I did not need to buy anything to settle in- my host family had a room made up for me and cooked all of my meals so I had no need to purchase anything once I got there. |
| * Food: |
All of the restaurants we went to were really great. I suggest that if you are a vegetarian, it probably would not be a good idea to go on this trip because Argentina is such a meat-centric city. For those students who were vegetarian that went on our trip, it was tough sometimes to find food that they could eat and that everyone would enjoy. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The Estancia was great and seeing the Madres of the Plaza de Mayo was the most memorable 'event' that we saw. Also, our program arranged for a night where we saw a professional tango show that was really fun and interesting. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Overall, I felt very safe in Buenos Aires. There were only a few instances where I was walking around in my neighborhood- going from the subway to my house or the bus to my house- that I felt a little unsafe when I was walking by myself. |
| 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) |
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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced the language at school, of course, and then at home with my host family (they did not speak any English). Most people did not speak much English so I also had to use it every day in my interactions with locals at stores and restaurants. |
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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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? | This program really allowed me to use my education at Mason and put it to the test. Argentina has so much history and a great cultural atmosphere- anyone would have a great time! I think the student that would benefit most would be someone who is seeking fluency in Spanish and who is familiar with Argentina's history/culture so that they can get the most out of being in the city. |
