Ratings
Review
Never once in my college career did I consider studying abroad, but it was the greatest thing I could've done for myself. Without divulging too much, I flunked a class and found myself with an extra semester. One morning I woke up and my first thought was "I should go abroad". After meeting with the advisers on my campus (telling them my preferred regions, language goals, etc.) it became clear that Montevideo was the place for me.
Although small, Uruguay is the complete package and an ideal destination. Montevideo is a large city of 1.5 million people and is active 24 hours a day. The night life is great; the public transportation is effective; the air is clean (thank you Río de la Plata!); quality restaurants and shopping centers are abundant. However, unlike most large cities, the people are always so friendly and willing to lend a helping hand and I never felt unsafe. Meanwhile, the interior is the complete opposite of the hustle-and-bustle of Montevideo. The interior is the epitome of the word: tranquilo. It's amazing to see people (mostly farmers and ranch hands) live a simpler life that is organized around daylight hours. In the West, we are slaves to the clock and the social construction of time; it is inspiring to see people live a leisurely life. On the whole, Uruguay is more Europe than Europe (the architecture, food, the citizen's heritage, etc.) but it still has some Latin flare: it truly is the best of both worlds.
The USAC team (abroad and at home) was wonderful, supportive, and always available. the director and assistant director constantly organized fun activities--most of which were centered on exploring local culture or engaging in local activities. The professors were excellent as well because they found the balance between challenging material without being overwhelming. Because of this, I was able to retain loads of information about the region, learn Spanish, and enjoy myself at the same time (a luxury that is rare at my home university).
At the time of writing this post I have been back in the states for approximately 1 month and I miss it terribly. If I could go back and do it all over again I would in a heartbeat.
Espero que mi opinión y experiencias sean útiles. ¡Chau!