Buenos Aires – Pretty Solid! January 24, 2024
By Ben W (International and Global Studies, Middlebury College) - abroad from 07/24/2023 to 12/24/2023 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Buenos Aires
Definitely a worthwhile experience. Gained a lot of linguistic experience + perspective around the world around me.
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. |
Academic rigor was not too too intense, I thought having a few more linguistic supports (eg. time spent on grammar during orientation) could have been helpful. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Great administration on-site |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Great host family, solid support from administration |
| * Food: |
Wanted to be vegetarian while I was there, but just felt too awkward requesting that much accomodation from my host family. Great food though. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Program encouraged full engagement |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Great insurance, solid hospital partnership Some translation issues from English-Spanish |
| * Safety: |
Felt safe as a tall white male, but obviously a lot of privledge in that. Safety advice provided by program was super useful. Key to listen to that advice + advice from host family. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I loved getting better at Spanish, experiencing life at a foreign university, seeing Buenos Aires, and traveling throughout Argentina! |
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) |
Pretty easy to make it happen, a little harder when I wanted to experience the culture |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | ~$60 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Book trips ahead of time, avoid imported food (eg. peanut butter) |
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 |
Middlebury language pledge + taking all my classes in the target 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? | Spanish 355 |
| 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? | Make sure to take some breaks from it! |
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? | 0 |
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? | How important rest + pacing is |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Introduction to Public Policy |
| Course Department: | Political Science |
| Instructor: | Manuel Mera |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | A ton of reading, but fairly simple. One ten-page paper, one 16 page group paper + presentation. Accomodating, engaging professor who taught in a style similar to my US profs |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Fairly simple process. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Foreign Policy of Argentina |
| Course Department: | Political Science |
| Instructor: | Bruno Dalponte |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | Would have appreciated having more economic base, but was super interesting. One exam, one 15 page final paper. Participated a little less than I would have at home - pretty lecture-heavy |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | N/A |
| Course Name/Rating: |
History of Latin America |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | Challenging - needed more background knowledge. One audiovisual presentation, one final paper. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | N/A |
