Buenos Aires: City of Dreams! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was minimal. Worksheet pages were asigned every day and two oral presentations were given. The grading sytem was a 10 point scale. The teacher stood in front of the class and taught us new grammar concepts. We watched movies and did many group activities. It was not very different from an American class. One thing that surprised me was the laid back grading. A grade of 4 out of 10 was considered passing.

On-site administration of your program

The program administration helped with everything. They had tutors if needed and helped with the process of getting a visa, whenever someone need to go to the hospital, etc.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

As most dorm situations, it was very strict. No visitors after certain hours were allowed. I didn't have the experience of being in a family.

I missed a lot of American type foods and especially snacks. They love sweets more than in Americans so they have more sweet snacks as opposed to salty snacks. I did love the empanadas which are everwhere, and the pizza was different, but VERY delicious. You can get your typical amercanized chinese food any where. There icecream is different and I had that several times a day, every day!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I loved going to Iguazu falls. They are the most amazing water falls in the world. Also at Iguazu, we were able to see indigenous life at a museum. We went to Rosario, another city that isn't quite as large as BsAs but was amazing anyway. We saw many historical sites there.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The safety is as any other large city. If you are careful there will be no problems. I've had friend who have been robbed, but I never was. You need to know where to go and where not to go and how to keep your belongings safe. Despite this, I never feared for my life. The program tells you everything you need to worry about. Healthcare is easily accessible. All you need to do is go to a local hospital. The program comes with insurance and partially reemburses you for medical costs.

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

I used Spanish everyday. The class was taught only in Spanish and people in the streets spoke Spanish. Many people spoke English as there were people from all over the world in Buenos Aires. It is a very large metropolitan city so people are bound to speak English, but most people spoke Spanish and you could not avoid it.

Select all that apply

• Dorm

Select all that apply

• Americans
• Local Students