An amazing experience June 16, 2022
By A student (Social Movements and Human Rights, Muhlenberg College) - abroad from 02/22/2022 to 06/06/2022 with
SIT Study Abroad: Argentina - Social Movements and Human Rights
An immeasurable number of things. Knowledge of self. Knowledge of the world. I live differently now (better, more mindful and more relaxed and generally more content). It was undoubtedly worthwhile
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Could have been more rigorous overall but I appreciated the laid-back post-pandemic attitude and the free time that it awarded me. Educational excursions were great, my favorite academic memories are those that were hands-on/immersive (visiting communities, helping Piuke repot their plants, bus tour of a few underprivileged barrios and the center of the city during the first couple weeks, etc.) |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Sometimes things happened last-minute, and I felt like we could have done more fun activities at the start of the program, but overall, the on-site administration was good |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was well-paired with my host mom, and she accommodated my dietary needs very well |
| * Food: |
They were always very thoughtful (often went above and beyond) to accommodate my dietary needs as a vegetarian during our educational excursions, it was much appreciated |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt surprisingly comfortable most of the time, and the staff were great at making me feel comfortable in my identity as a foreigner but also in assuring me that I was adapting well, speaking the language well, etc. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had an experience with healthcare and the coordinators took the time to help me download the app and set up an appointment, and they checked in and genuinely cared about my situation. The local healthcare system, in my experience, was excellent |
| * Safety: |
Compared to other cities in the world, particularly U.S. cities, Buenos Aires is very safe. Theft is the number one thing we have to worry about as American students, but I had good luck for the most part. In any city, there are risks, but I felt (comparatively) very safe in this city |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I liked SIT, my coordinators, the city/country, the language component and the subject matter, so I'd say yes. Additionally, I'd love to visit all those places again |
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) |
It was very easy/very cheap compared to the US, AND they gave us money to help us |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Probably no more than $35 a week, and no more than $70 during the ISP period |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you go to Argentina, bring cash! The exchange rate is very good for us as Americans so use that to your advantage |
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 |
It was honestly laxer than I was expecting but they did encourage us to use Spanish as often as possible |
| 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? | College-level |
| 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? | Use it with your peers/fellow students! It will help |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | I'm not sure, I feel I was pretty well-prepared/well-informed |
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.' |
