A Wonderful Combination of Academics and New Experiences January 06, 2025
By Jenna M (Government and Spanish with a Legal Studies minor, Claremont McKenna College) - abroad from 08/28/2024 to 12/10/2024 with
SIT Study Abroad: Argentina - Social Movements and Human Rights
From the visits with indigenous communities in Patagonia and the north of Argentina to the engaging classes in Buenos Aires, this was a wonderful and fascinating program! I learned so much about the history, politics, and culture of Argentina, and through that, I developed my own political and social beliefs. I highly recommend this program to anyone who has an open mind and wants to experience something completely new and different from the culture in the United States.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes were very engaging overall, and I felt that I learned so much about Argentina through them. This program is more academically rigorous than your typical study abroad program, but it is still completely feasible while enjoying the host country's culture. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The on-site administration team is so lovely. If I could, I would give them six stars instead of five. They are so supportive and understanding of any problems or concerns you may have. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family was one of my favorite parts of the entire experience because they really immersed me in the culture of Argentina. This program has done a wonderful job of selecting and pairing host families with students who will live together well. |
| * Food: |
The food in Argentina was difficult for me to get used to because it included a lot of ingredients that I was not used to. The hours were also difficult to adjust to at first because they do eat dinner very late at night. These are customs to which I eventually became accustomed, but food was definitely a bit more of a challenge for me than I was expecting. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The combination of the host family, Argentinian on-site staff, and Argentinian professors made me feel very integrated with the local culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any health problems during my stay in Argentina. But, I did know people who had health concerns and they seemed to have a fine time with the public health system in Argentina. |
| * Safety: |
I was surprised that, in general, I felt safe in Buenos Aires. I did get my phone stolen, but other than that, I did not have any safety problems. I will say running alone as a woman can feel a little sketchy in some areas, but I think that is true of most big cities. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I did not expect to learn and grow during this experience as much as I did, and I believe I have become a much more empathetic and intelligent person from it. |
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) |
The program provides all of the students with a stipend for lunches, and breakfast and dinner are always provided at your homestay, so budgeting was not much of a problem for me. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Take advantage of the free meals with your host family if you would like to save money, but also have some money set aside so you can enjoy your time abroad without much financial stress. |
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 is very encouraged to speak Spanish during the program, which I found very helpful in picking up the language quickly. |
| 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? | Upper division 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? | Speak it with your friends because that is when you will feel the most relaxed, and you can ask questions and really work through the language. |
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? | 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? | Never put your phone in the outside pocket of your backpack! It will get stolen! |
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! |
