An Argentine roller coaster focused on public health and cultural exchange. Past Review

By A student (Public Health, Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/23/2015 to 06/08/2015 with

SIT Study Abroad: Argentina - Public Health in Urban Environments

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

It it difficult for me to summarize what I learned. At a most basic level I gained an understanding of another countries public health systems and improved my Spanish. On a deeper level I learned a lot about my own values and the type of person I want to be and the role I want to take on in the health field during my career.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* 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?	Yes

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)

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?	Beginner
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 0300
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?	Talk to local people especially your host family and try to limit the conversations in English with other people from the U.S. or who speak English. Get involved in activities that require you to converse in the native language so you are forced to practice and are in a setting where you are constantly exposed to the language as well.

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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	The other students. The field experience. The host family.
* What could be improved?	Organization of classes. Support for the ISPs. Distribution of home stays so they are more easily accessible between each other.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish that I knew that many of the students that I was going to be in the SIT program with were already fluent in Spanish because it changed the dynamic of group discussions.

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 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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Epidemiology and Social Determinants of Health
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	The material was not particularly challenging but understanding the concepts in Spanish required much more effort and therefore the class felt well balanced as far as rigor. The field trips were generally well planned although sometimes there were logistical problems and I thought the field experience was one of the most important aspects of my time abroad academically.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No.

Course Name/Rating:	Health Systems, Policies, and Programs
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	This was especially interesting because the difference in the Argentine health system and the U.S. health system is massive - they are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Which made this course challenging but highly rewarding and relevant to the location of study.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No.

Course Name/Rating:	Spanish for the Health Sciences
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	My professor was incredibly helpful and guided me with my work in other courses providing a lot of support but the actual curriculum for this course was lacking in its difficulty and organization.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No.

Course Name/Rating:	Public Health Research Methods and Ethics
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	It was helpful in preparing for the independent study project and overall was a relatively challenging course however it was poorly organized.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No.

Course Name/Rating:	Independent Study Project
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	This was by far my most challenging course because there was only minimal support provided by the program and from there I was in charge of completing and coordinating all the necessary interviews and meetings that I needed to complete my study. I was assessed on the final paper and a final presentation as well as a workbook that was used to organize the process along the way.
Credit Transfer Issues: