Spanish and Counseling/Psychology... don't bother! Past Review

By (None) - abroad from 05/22/2017 to 07/21/2017 with

ECELA: Buenos Aires - Spanish Language School in Argentina

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned some Spanish from the classes. I learned MUCH more after the program was over and I was travelling in South America on my own. My extended travels were the part that made it worthwhile, not ECELA.

Review Photos

ECELA: Buenos Aires - Spanish Language School in Argentina Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The Spanish classes were great. The "Psychology" or "Counseling" was poor and often nonexistent

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Very disorganized. I was surprised to find out that they'd been doing the program for years because it felt very much like we were the "guinea pig group"

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My homestay in Buenos Aires was pleasant and conveniently located. However, my "host brother" attempted to sexually assault me. My homestay in Mendoza was good, nothing spectacular.

* Food:

The school didn't serve us food (though you could buy a lunch on fridays) so I'm not sure how this rating applies.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The program (that boasted "cultural diversity") was a group of 20 Americans (18 girls, 2 guys) aged 18-24. Between our many "program activities" there was very little free time for us to actually explore the area. The homestay was the most cultural aspect.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not experience any health issues requiring health care though the student liaison did take one student to the doctor when she was sick and that seemed to be a positive experience for her.

* Safety:

We were located in the nicer area of Buenos Aires and seemed fairly safe besides the sexual assault attempt by my host brother. Mendoza was a bit less safe feeling and we were told to definitely not walk alone after dark.

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

Definitely not! There was very very minimal psychology/counseling relevance participating in the program... and that's what I'd paid thousands of dollars for! Just take some Spanish classes and you'll learn just as much for cheaper

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)

It was helpful that the homestay provided breakfast and dinners

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $50-100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? DON'T do the overpriced specialty program- just take the spanish classes and talk to some homeless people- you'll get better experience that way

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

In class we spoke spanish... outside class we were a group of 20 Americans so we just spoke english

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? Spanish level 4 back in high school
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 hang out with people who speak your native language... You'll learn much more and much quicker talking to people who fluently speak the language you're trying to learn

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • great teachers
  • learned some Spanish
  • great student liaison
* What could be improved?
  • the "activities" that were supposed to relate to psych/counseling
  • the cultural diversity and cultural integration
  • the customer service when receiving negative feedback
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That it was a waste of time and money and did not teach anything applicable or useful to the field of psychology or counseling.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.