An Epic Semester in Patagonia July 16, 2026

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The strength of this program is in its commitment to place-based learning. Through extensive field trips, our classroom extended to encompass all of Tierra del Fuego and even Antarctica, reinforcing our learning through real-world experience, observations, and conversations with experts, including scientists, indigenous leaders, and local fishermen. You won't just learn about peatlands from a lecture; you'll take core samples in a peat bog, and get to see for yourself the layers of sphagnum moss, volcanic ash, and glacial clay. You'll visit National Parks, museums, conservation sites, and witness the epic glacial landscape first-hand. With the opportunity to conduct an independent study project at the end of the semester, this program empowers its students to delve deep into an area of study they're passionate about and contribute to important, ongoing research.

On-site administration of your program

Maria, Lida, and Lola are an incredible team of knowledgeable, supportive, hard-working, and passionate teachers/administrators. I have rarely felt so cared about by my professors as I did on this program.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was one of the highlights of this program! My host mom and I grew very close over the course of the semester, and my Spanish improved the most through my conversations and time spent with her. I felt very comfortable and taken care of in her home and still miss her wonderful cooking! I completely fell in love with her family — including her dog and two cats — and will definitely have to come back to Ushuaia to pay them a visit. So grateful to the host family experience for giving me the connections of a lifetime.

My host mom was a very skilled cook, and there are plenty of food options and grocery stores in Ushuaia. That said, the cuisine is pretty limited to Argentinian food (which can be a lot of meat and carbs, and sometimes rahther bland), and it can be difficult to find good fresh produce (Tierra del Fuego is an island at the end of the world, after all). Did I miss food back home? Absolutely. Did I always feel well fed? Also yes.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Ushuaia is a very close-knit city, with many opportunities to engage in the local culture. Between going on lots of hiking trips, taking a ceramics class, going to free tango classes at the mall, and engaging with my host mom's friends and family, I felt very integrated into Ushuaia. Other students also found community through religious services and by going to the gym. Ushuaia is so small that once I started going to my ceramics class, I ran into the other students everywhere!

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I felt very safe in Ushuaia and was comfortable walking everywhere, even at night. Ubers come very quickly, usually in around 1-2 minutes, which is great, and there are a lot of female drivers. Some neighborhoods are less well lit.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Between classes and assignments being in Spanish and living with a local family, this program encourages Spanish immersion and my Spanish definitely improved. However, because our student cohort had a mix of levels, we spoke English amongst ourselves. Had we committed to speaking Spanish as a group, I think we all could have improved much more.

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Americans

• The nature
• Antarctica
• Host family

• Spanish classes