No Regrets!! Past Review
By Emma P (Elementary Education, University of Maine - Machias) - abroad from 01/26/2018 to 06/15/2018 with
API (Academic Programs International): Buenos Aires - Universidad de Belgrano
Absolutely, I learned so much about myself, became more independent, and expanded my comfort zone. Even if you don't enjoy every minute of being abroad, it is an opportunity you will regret the rest of your life if you don't take.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
From the minute I met my host family they were so welcoming and friendly. They were always generous and let me join in whenever they had birthday dinners, cookouts with extended family, or just to go walk the dog. I really felt that they enjoyed me being there and would help me with any troubles I was having, saying goodbye was so hard but I know we will stay in touch. |
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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? |
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| * Safety: |
No matter the time of day or night I always felt comfortable when walking home or to any restaurants, grocery stores, or bars. Of course there are good and bad parts of Buenos Aires, like anywhere else, but we were centered in a very safe and populated area. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
There were only very minor things I would change |
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) |
It depends how you spend your money and if you are living in an apartment or with a host family. If you are smart an conscious you can easily work around any budget, but I would say splurge a little so you can take trips and explore other parts of the country. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 15-30 |
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? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | One college beginner course |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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? | You are not going to enjoy every minute or even every day while being abroad, and that's okay, because most everyone else is feeling that way too. So talk to the friends you have met there and connect over it, we would spend hours talking about the foods we missed, the first thing we would do when we got home, and just everyday annoyances and differences in this foreign country. |
