Study Abroad at the Edge of the World January 23, 2025
By Luc F (Environmental Science, Claremont McKenna College) - abroad from 09/01/2024 to 12/16/2024 with
SIT Study Abroad: Argentina: People, Environment, and Climate Change in Patagonia and Antarctica
Super worthwhile. Gained Spanish fluency, made new friends, learned a ton about the natural world, gained research skills, got out into the Patagonian wilderness, got into Argentinian music.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
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? |
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| * Food: |
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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: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
People, Environment, and Climate Change in Patagonia and Antarctica is a phenomenal program that facilitates profound cultural exchange and academic discovery. I'd recommend this program to anyone interested in studying the environment, excited to learn about Argentinian culture, and interested in gaining a deep familiarity with an incredible city that most foreigners just pass through for a couple of days. To name a few of my favorite experiences: 1) I got really into Argentinian rock music, saw a local band from Ushuaia in concert, learned Argentinian songs on guitar, and jammed with the crew on the boat to Antarctica, 2) I co-authored an archaeology paper with a professor from the Centro Austral de Investigaciones CientÃficas, 3) I went on an overnight backpacking trip to the Laguna del Caminante in the wilderness of Tierra del Fuego, 4) I learned a ton of Argentinian slang and started defaulting to voseo, 5) I made friends at the local rock climbing gym and became close with my host family. The program coordinators, Maria, Viole, and Lida, along with all of the lecturers are awesome (Pauli's jazz band is fire), the host families are overall wonderful, and Ushuaia is a beautiful city to spend a few months. My few gripes: 1) while all classes are taught in Spanish and students are fully immersed in the language with their host families, the American students inevitably ended up speaking a lot of English among ourselves, which somewhat reduced immersion, 2) Ushuaia is pretty remote, which I loved, but someone expecting a European city experience with train lines all over the continent may be disappointed. |
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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 50-100 dollars |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Go to casas de comida |
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? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Advanced Spanish literature course |
| 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 friends and join clubs in Ushuaia |
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? | Relax, be confident, and enjoy one of the coolest experiences of your life. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
