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Program Description
API Study Abroad Program at the University of Belgrano
Ratings and Reviews
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Studying in the world of the Tango
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2 of 2 people found this review helpful
My analogy of studying abroad
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If I were to explain my experience in Buenos Aires without using clichés of what studying/living abroad is, this is how I would describe it. Keep in mind no analogy is perfect.
It is watching a really profound, enthralling movie. First, you sit down in your seat and you are really excited because there has been a lot of hype about the movie. The synopses you have heard and reviews you have read do not tell you much other than that you must see it yourself. The movie begins and you start soaking in visual and aural stimulation and you understand that you are watching a movie. You are a little detached because you do not fully understand what is going on or what it is all about.
After a while, you stop noticing the chair spring that has been poking you in the back and the fact that the floor is sticky because the action and dialogue start to truly captivate you. The movie’s reality steadily becomes your reality. You become so engrossed in the movie that you begin to feel like part of the movie. You see the characters develop and grow and change and the scenery and setting start to become familiar and home-like. You get lost in the movie. Have you ever watched someone watch a movie? You will not quite understand how engrossed you are watching a movie until you watch someone else’s face while he or she watches a movie.
Towards the denouement, you begin to understand that the movie is coming to an end. You can feel things winding down. You slowly gain objective perspective again of that in which you have just involved yourself. You might even feel a jerk in your heart because you want to see what happens to the characters after the movie is finished, as stories like that cannot and do not just come to an end. The storyline is wrapping up and you are wondering if you put enough quarters in the parking meter. Also, you really have to pee.
Then the movie ends and you leave the theater feeling you finally understand what the hype was about. You have gained a new perspective on just what a movie can be and how it can relate to real life. What you saw was visceral because there was a surfeit of content and aesthetic pleasure that will stick with you. In addition, time was irrelevant because you were so lost in the movie. In the hours it took to watch, you wonder how the little hand on your horologe made so many revolutions. You know you will see it again, but when you feel ready to absorb all that information anew is uncertain territory because it was so beautiful and gratifying that it would not do the movie justice to watch it twice in a row. You have other movies to watch, books to read and music to listen to. Also you spent your last $20 on the ticket and Milk Duds and popcorn to mix together so you get chocolate, carmel and salt all in one bite.
There are no leaks of this movie. You cannot pirate it. You must see it on the big screen with strangers in the theater who will share this movie with you even though you may never see them ever again in your life.
You will return to that theater some day when another movie is worth seeing because as much as you would like to, you cannot spend all your money and time going to the movies. You will bring a friend next time so that you can share the experience together because telling someone about a movie he or she has not seen, no matter how great it is, is about as interesting to the listener as handwriting class in grade school.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
Adventure-Seekers, Look No Further!
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I truly enjoyed my experience studying abroad in Argentina for 5 months with API in 2010. I did the early-start intensive language option when I first arrived, which helped me to acclimate so well to the language that I placed into a high enough level of Spanish to take all of my classes in Spanish during the semester. This was after just 5 semesters of Spanish classes prior to studying abroad (unlike many people I know, I didn't take the language in high school)! I also lived with a host family, which was not only great language immersion, but was a great way to really experience the culture and people of Argentina firsthand.
One of my favorite parts about studying abroad was getting to travel. Argentina is about 1/3 the size of the U.S., so there is so much to see! I saw deserts (Salta and Tucuman in the northwest), waterfalls (Iguazu Falls in the northeast), penguins in the wild (Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world), hiked snowy mountains (in Bariloche, also in the south), and even went to Oktoberfest (in a quaint town near Cordoba called Villa General Begrano). And that's just some of the more major trips. API does a bunch of really cool excursions, both within the country and to Colonia (in Uruguay).
Buenos Aires is amazing as well. I don't think I could have gotten bored even if I had never left the city at all! My favorite thing to do was to go to the weekend markets, and I also really enjoyed going to shows, taking tango classes, and the night life (which is unbelievable). I did a 3-month internship at a start-up while I was studying as well, which I loved.
To be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of Argentine food. I will say that they have some of the best steak I've ever tasted, and the wine, empanadas and medialunas (sweet croissants) are delicious. But other than that, I found the food to be very bland and flavorless. It's a lot of pasta, pizza, and TONS of beef which is all great, but I got bored of it quickly. That being said, most of my friends loved the food, so maybe I'm just spoiled/picky. :)
API was amazing, from the application process to the support staff in Argentina and even keeping in touch with students when we returned. Whenever I had questions during the application process, they always responded super promptly, and their online toolbox had more than enough information so that I felt completely prepared when I left (the language resources were especially great for last-minute brushing up on the plane).
When I arrived I was greeted by Carmen – our resident director – as well as a couple of API staff members who were visiting for the week, and some of the other students in my group. Carmen spoke to us in Spanish from day one (only translating when need be for the students who were learning for the first time), and became like a mom to us while we were there. She had everyone over to her apartment for a huge dinner the first night, as well as hosting us for several more dinners and events in her home and the API office. Gabby – who helps lead some of the tours and trips with Carmen – was also amazing. She knows more about Argentina’s history and culture than I think most history professors there probably do! She is also an amazing tango dancer, and took us to the milonga for our first lesson.
We were a small group of about 10 students, which I loved, because we became like family while we were there (unlike the huge programs some of our friends were in, which tended to be a lot more clique-y). I still visit with several of my friends from abroad at least a couple of times a year, even though we live all over the U.S. Another great thing about API was that they take so much care with choosing host families that live very central. So although the school was in a residential area, everyone in my program lived right in the middle of the busiest shopping/night life areas. That meant a longer commute to school but it was totally worth it for the conveniences that came with such a central location.
It would be impossible to articulate all the ways studying abroad changed me in just a few words (in fact, I’m probably not even aware of many of the ways I’ve changed!). That being said, I think the broadening of my horizons/perspective shift I experienced is the change I’ve been most conscious of. The mixture of seeing a completely new part of the world and immersing myself in the culture/history/politics/language, and meeting people from all over with fascinating stories – some traveling around the world “just because,” others working remotely so they could live anywhere – was very eye-opening. I was reminded of how big the world really is, but at the same time, how where you go and what you do is really only limited to what you can imagine and set your mind to.
I would go again in a heartbeat. I hope to take another trip to South America very soon, so that I can visit some of the other countries I didn’t make it to (because I was so busy seeing as much of Argentina as I could!), and I definitely want to go back to Argentina someday.
If you love adventure, want to learn or improve your Spanish and are looking for a truly unique and exciting study abroad experience, look no further! I highly recommend Argentina with API.
3 of 6 people found this review helpful
What I learned...
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I think it was impossible to be in the city and not learn something new and exciting everyday. This city was full of art and culture everywhere I went. From submarinos at cafés, to reggae concerts in the park, the tango culture, and the Lunfardo (dialect) mixed with Castellano, everything was an experience. Buenos Aires is a Latin America New York, and you will quickly see why. If you are looking for the pueblos and rainforest that are often depicted on tv, you got another thing coming. This city is hustle and bustle. You may not speak the language, but be sure to have some streetwise about you. As an international, you are a hot commodity...and so is your dollar!
I really enjoyed my host mom, and the neighborhood I stayed in was lovely. Palermo is where it's at for the International crowd. However, I challenge you to do something local. I took belly dancing classes twice a week and tried to eat at local restaurants away from the tourist crowd. I would also encourage you to break away from your program now and then. It is easy to fall into the pattern of hanging out with the same people. This almost always means speaking A LOT of English (kinda defeats the purpose).
The support staff was really great. Gaby Masson is the queen of everything Buenos Aires, she's like and encyclopedia! Carmen is also a big help in pretty much any other area. They will truly treat you like family. Have fun and live big! Know that you are there to experience a culture so, talk to people on the street, talk to your servers at restaurants, take colectivos (buses) around the city just because, and speak as much Spanish as possible. It's an experience you won't forget, but make sure you have good things to remember! Enjoy, suerte!
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
Best Semester Ever!
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The city of Buenos Aires is absolutely incredible! API makes you feel welcomed to the city and to the country of Argentina! One of the most life changing semesters/times of my life!!
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
API Family
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After getting to know a bunch of other exchange students at Belgrano, I found that many of them had mixed emotions about their study abroad programs. Some felt as though their program was too big (80 people or more) and that they found it hard to feel connected to their program and a specific group of people. Others were disappointed with their homestays or felt that their programs did not do enough to support them. I could not relate to other student's problems at all because API greatly exceeded my expectations. My group was not so large as to make me feel like a number and I felt as though I had a new family in addition to my wonderful host family that API placed me with. Our resident program director helped us with our student visas, organized cultural activities, checked in with us often to make sure we were doing OK, and also opened up her home to us for API program gatherings. She went above and beyond to make sure that we were enjoying ourselves and getting a lot of our experience studying abroad. I also felt very safe knowing that I had someone reliable that I could contact should anything bad happen. Although I had API as a basis for my experience, it was also very easy to be independent--I certainly did not have to rely heavily on API's services and did not feel confined to my API family and had many other friends, both local and international, that made my experience that much better.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
Buenos Aires: A Dream Come True
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Studying abroad was something that always crossed my mind, and I didn’t decide to really check it out until my senior year. I attended my school’s study abroad fair, spoke with representatives from several companies and although I wasn’t sure which company to choose, I felt pulled to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
After all the paperwork, countless e-mails and endless days of waiting, I finally stepped on a plane and arrived in Buenos Aires 16 hours later. I knew instantly that spending four months in Buenos Aires was going to be more fun than I could imagine. I knew it from the beginning, and API was determined to make sure that Argentina would be a dream come true.
We had a week to adjust to our new home before beginning classes. During this week, API conducted workshops and orientation sessions to make sure that we were educated on Argentine history, how to use public transportation, how to stay safe and how to make the most of our time.
Classes at the Universidad de Belgrano began, and after two weeks, I was settled into my new routine. I was already dreading the day I would have to leave. Classes at UB were based more on participation than tests and projects. This was difficult at first because my Spanish needed work, but I learned so much from class discussions and listening to what my classmates—young people from all over the world—had to say about art, politics, cinema and language. Although I learned a lot at UB, I did not feel as challenged as I did in classes at home. This is not to say that UB doesn’t focus strongly on academics, but that UB and API both understand that students abroad are going to learn more from daily life than the classroom. Walking to the subway station, riding the bus, relaxing in the park, cruising museums and eating the local cuisine were the experiences from which I learned the most about culture, language, society and most importantly, myself.
I also learned a lot from my host family. I lived with a lady and her youngest son who was my age. They were extremely hospitable and patient with my broken Spanish. Some of my fondest memories in Argentina took place on Sunday nights when the three of us would sit around the kitchen table eating pizza and chatting. It was great for my host brother and I because he was learning English, so we were able to take turns practicing our second languages. They were also very respectful of me and my privacy. They gave me plenty of space and understood that some days my brain was just too tired to process any more Spanish.
Buenos Aires is an INCREDIBLE city with endless things to do, see and enjoy. Museums, concerts, parks, movies, plays, markets, restaurants, boutiques and sports fill the city thus making it an ideal place to live and learn. It can be intimidating at first, but having an open mind and heart is crucial. API was there every step of the way. Our resident director was available at all times in case we needed anything or just wanted to say hi. API also made sure that we experienced other parts of the country. We did day trips to a nearby river town and into la pampa—Argentina’s dreamlike prairie in the middle of the country. We also spent three days in Ushuaia, the southernmost city of the world. I will never forget the moment that I first saw a penguin in the wild!
At the end of the four months, I was completely in love with Buenos Aires, with Argentina and with all of its quirks and charm. I will be forever grateful to API and to all of its employees who worked tirelessly to make sure that my experience in Buenos Aires was the time of my life!
Alumni Interviews
Interview with Danielle Echols, API Buenos Aires alum
GO: Why did you decide to study abroad with API in Buenos Aires?
Danielle: Ever since I was younger and saw the movie Evita Peron, I knew that I wanted to go to Buenos Aires, Argentina. There was something about the country that appealed to me. I loved the architecture, the tango, and the rich history. As I began studying Spanish, I had the opportunity to learn more and more about the culture and my love only continued to grow.
I wanted to experience the art that was on every street corner, see the markets in the parks, shop on Avenida 9, and stand in front of the Casa Rosada. When I got to college and found out as a Spanish major I HAD to study abroad, there was only one place that I wanted to go, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
My university, Ohio U, didn't have a program that went there directly, so I knew I would have to use an affiliate. After a bit of searching, I stumbled across API. I considered a few others, but API seemed to have a very thorough program for a lot less money than some of the others. I had narrowed it down between ISA and API, but API was a little cheaper. I also liked the promptness of the staff, whenever I had any questions, I would receive an e-mail back within 24 hours.
Danielle on a boat ride in front of the Andes
GO: What made your study abroad experience unique and special?
Danielle: Everything makes study abroad special. No matter what program you choose, you get out of it what you put in. I liked that the staff was so friendly and warm. The onsite staff treats you like family. The director has dinners at her house, she offers tutoring, and gives you her personal phone number if you need anything. You will take tours with the same tour guide again and again, so you are able to build a relationship with her (Gaby Masson). Also, they are both highly educated and have a lot of connections in the city, so they can help you with almost anything.
We had a lot of group activities such as dance lessons, cooking lessons, and cultural classes. We also went on excursions to a ranch, Uruguay, and a swamp (yes, an actual swamp!), and let me not forget going to the tip of the world! Ushuaia!! We were practically in Antarctica!!! Everywhere we went, our directors were with us making the experience run as smoothly as possible.
When we were in the city, the program allowed us a lot of time to do as we pleased, and explore the city. They let us do excursions too, as long as we provided the director with our travel information.
Danielle, happy to be in Argentina!
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Danielle: I don't know if you can ever travel without it impacting your future. If nothing else, you look at the world differently with more open eyes. My Spanish improved by leaps and bounds when I went abroad. It's certainly a great resume booster. People will assume that you are so much more "well rounded" than some of the other candidates, so prove them right!
Also, it's just good overall. Life is not that short, if we start living it a little earlier and studying abroad helps ya do that. I felt a confidence in Argentina, that I had never experienced before. I was definitely taken out of my comfort zone, but I made it work for me. I won't say that I loved EVERY minute, I mean there are some tough moments that come with being sooooo far away from home, but all in all it was a great experience and I wouldn't trade it for anything!
I learned to love life a little more, appreciate what I have and what the world can offer, and open my eyes to a new culture can teach me. GO GO GO! is what I say. It'll be worth every penny!
Interview with Ellen Weathers, API Buenos Aires alum
GO: Why did you decide to study abroad with API in Argentina?
Ellen: It was the colors that grabbed me- API’s signature neon blue with a black background. This initial attraction led me to stuff the API booklet in my backpack. Once I began reading more, I realized that API’s professionalism and character extend much farther. For several weeks I picked up the booklet from my kitchen counter and browsed. Argentina? Chile? Costa Rica? I knew I wanted to be in Latin America, and it was the stunning photos of Buenos Aires, the classes offered at the University of Belgrano and API’s excursion to Ushuaia- the southernmost city in the world- that convinced me API were the people for me. They seemed to have it all and played a crucial role during my four incredible months in Argentina!
API students give back in Buenos Aires
GO: What do you think made studying in Argentina a unique experience?
Ellen: This experience was special because it was time for me to establish myself away from home, adopt a new culture and live life to the fullest. Moving from a small town in east Alabama to Argentina was the most thrilling learning experience I have had in my life to date!
GO: How did this experience impact your academic development?
Ellen: My time in Buenos Aires made several profound impacts on me. First, it opened my eyes to a beautiful city surrounded by a charming countryside with funny, beautiful and intelligent people all along the way. My exposure to the Argentinean way of life has challenged me to think with a more worldly perspective. It‘s as if all my questions and thoughts went from being underdeveloped and one-side into being multi-faceted almost tangible knowledge.
I cannot say enough of what the API Argentina experience has done for me professionally. The language skills, people skills and observation skills I improved in Buenos Aires gave me everything I needed to secure a paid, for college credit internship abroad. My life working in San Jose, Costa Rica wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t grabbed that bright API brochure from the study abroad office bookshelf two years ago!
Interview with Patrick Nickelson, API alum
GO: Why did you study abroad with API at the University of Belgrano?
Patrick: I know students have different ways of going about choosing a country and a program, but mine went so: one of my main goals in my abroad experience was to become more comfortable speaking Spanish. I chose South America because there are so many places one can go to learn Spanish. Then I asked other students in my university's Spanish program what partner programs they would recommend. The most positive reviews came from students who had traveled with API. API also had all the aspects of a program I wanted, including home stays and travel excursions to other parts of the country. After that, I looked at the programs they offered in South America and chose Buenos Aires because it is such a big city and I had never experienced that before. Belgrano also offered classes taught in Spanish, which is exactly what I was looking for.
GO: What made your study abroad experience unique and special?
Patrick: I do not like to think about my experience as particularly unique. That is not a negative thing by any means. Instead, I like to think about my experience as a time period of solidarity. Most people that were in my program were in a similar situation as me. Our Spanish skills were not the best, we had not lived in a city as big as Buenos Aires before and we did not know anyone we were going to study with. Because of that, we all knew we had to stick together and conquer the city and experience as a group.
Yes, we all have our own stories, but everyone has their own stories. I like to think of it more as the memories we get to share together that make something like studying abroad truly impressive, powerful and lasting. We can also pass those memories on to people who will study abroad in the future, so they will be able to know the best restaurant or hostel, eat the same meal we ate months before or sleeping in the same bed we slept in last year, and be in the same place we were at a different time. It is kind of like sharing a memory but there is a temporal chasm in between the experiences which makes the memory last longer and makes it richer. If we all have our own, unique experiences, it is kind of isolating and there is less room to share with others.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Patrick: For one thing, I feel much more comfortable with my Spanish skills. I just passed my oral exam this week that is required to major in Spanish at my university and that happened months after I returned from South America. I also learned how to be a citizen in a city that is so big. Taking public transport every day because you do not own a car and eating choripan cooked by street vendors really made me appreciate what it means to be a participant in a city. That will carry with me to whatever city I may live in. Support the city that you live in, I guess is what I am trying to say I learned.
One other thing that I learned that is really important to me is that people are people. No matter where you go, once you break past the shock of being in a different culture, everyone is the same. Again, that is not a negative thing at all. Rather you can make friends anywhere and those friends will last, as friends should. My host family treated me like a member of the family and I felt at home. I even got to go to my host brother's wedding and reception. Carmen, the program director, was also like a mother and made everything so comfortable and really helped the group I studied with bond together. So the idea of traveling to me is less daunting because I know that wherever I go, I will be able to find something or someone that reminds me of the familiar.
Of course, you learn loads about yourself while studying abroad too, and it takes a lot of inward critical thinking to understand the dynamics of change and how to go with the flow while still being an active member of life. I guess I am still learning about this but studying abroad was definitely the catalyst in that change in my worldview.
Studying through API in Buenos Aires was probably the best experience of my life so far. In between the going to class I was able to meet many interesting people from Argentina and also from around the world. The classes that I was able to take varied immensely. There were business classes, history classes,language classes, and even the opportunity to take classes with the Argentine students that were studying there.
A normal day consisted of going to class and then just exploring the city. There are so many interesting things to do in Buenos Aires. There is a zoo next to Plaza Italia, while I was there there was a large book fair with books from all around the world.
API is great because they let you travel when you want. You are required to attend a majority of you classes by the university, but API allows you to go on weekend trips. They do also have some sponsored cultural trips to an estancia, or ranch, and when I was there we went to Iguazu to see the falls and visit a nature conservatory.
Argentina is also a great place to study because the people are very friendly. Yes, the do appreciate it a lot if you attempt to speak Spanish to them, but there is a large population of people in Buenos Aires that speak both Spanish and English so you will be able to find your way without too much trouble.
API has a short program that they put the students who are arriving through. This program talks about the history of Argentina and the culture. It also informs students about how to be safe while they are walking around and out at night and the normal stuff that you would want to find out about a country. Yes, crime does happen, but the support staff from API was always helpful to the students that they were in charge of taking care of throughout the semester.
I cannot stress enough how much I enjoyed this program. You were normally able to find anything that you needed within your community, and anything that you could not find the support staff was able to help you find.
The last thing that I will leave you with is the food. I really enjoyed the food. It was a lot of meats, chicken and beef, and there was a lot of rice and bread as well. The food is not spicy like many people think all Spanish food is. In fact, one of the host families of my friends would always warn him whenever they put black pepper, something that is used all the time in the US, on the food because to them it was spicy.
Overall, I really enjoyed this program and would definitely refer anyone, friend or otherwise, to go to Buenos Aires through API.