Buenos Aires Study Abroad

Studying abroad in Buenos Aires is one of the best experiences I have ever had. The city is full of life and culture and the people are friendly and interesting. There is a variety of things to do both in the day and at night so it is hard to ever be bored. Although the public transportation can be a bit difficult to master, it is fairly easy to get around once you get the hang of it and it can take you to most places located within the city. I recommend that all students try to explore the various neighborhoods because they are all interesting and unique in their own ways.

IES Abroad offered a variety of classes that taught me about the history and culture of Argentina. They were fairly work intensive and I felt like I learned a lot in most of my classes. A few of them incorporated field trips which really made what we were learning come to life. If you are of an advanced level you can also take classes at the university which is a great way to strengthen your Spanish skills and meet Argentines.

I had a wonderful home stay experience through which I felt like I actually became part of an Argentine family rather than simply living with strangers. Having dinner with my home stay mother every night and discussing everything from politics to the best restaurants in the city, all in Spanish, was one of the highlights of the trip. Most home stays are located either near the IES center in Recoleta or in Palermo which can easily be reached by bus from the center. I highly recommend doing a home stay over living in the dorms, they are usually much nicer and offer you a much more authentic experience.

IES Abroad also planned a variety of trips ranging from visiting an estancia (Argentine version of a ranch) to a formal Argentine cuisine cooking class. Overall, the staff is friendly and helpful so if you are having trouble in a class or with a home stay, you can always turn to them. There is also time to do some traveling of your own which is a great way to see the rest of the country. Argentina is a huge country so make sure to plan accordingly, bus trips are usually around 18-20 hours and require some planning. I recommend going to Salta and Jujuy, Uruguay, and Mendoza. Buenos Aires is a really fun and metropolitan city but it is also important to see the rest of the country because each area is very different.

I strongly believe that everyone should study abroad and Buenos Aires is a great place to do so. It is Europeanized but located in South America which gives it an interesting mix of food, art, architecture and people.