Great City with Classes that Broaden Your Appreciation Past Review

By (Champlain College) - abroad from 08/10/2017 to 12/08/2017 with

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: Buenos Aires, Argentina

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned patience and to go with the flow. It was definitely worthwhile. My Spanish improved so much, I became more comfortable adapting quickly and not stressing over every single small detail.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes included immersion components that enhanced my experience in Buenos Aires.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The CEA staff was very helpful in recommending activities and giving us advice on how to accomplish the things we wanted to do.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

It's a little difficult to be a lactose-intolerant vegetarian in Argentina. There are some great vegan and vegetarian restaurants if you look, but it takes some searching. Produce is very affordable though, if you're cooking for yourself.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Because my classes were at the CEA study center, I wasn't really meeting any Argentine students through CEA.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

I would still go with CEA, but I would look a little more into going into their program that takes classes at a local university over the CEA study Center so my experience could be more immersive.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About $60

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? 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? 4 years of high school and 2 semesters in college
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? Don't spend too much time with just your American classmates, because you'll end up speaking in English the whole time.

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

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Classes
  • Cultural Activities
  • Staff
* What could be improved?
  • More Interaction with Locals
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Argentina is ginormous and because of that traveling is time consuming and a lot of trips can't be accomplished in a weekend.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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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!