IES Abroad Buenos Aires

IES Abroad: Semester in Argentina was one of the most amazing experiences I have had. I studied abroad Spring 2012 and am counting down the days to go back. The staff, IES center and the city were all great. IES provided a lot of extra activities that were essential to making the program top notch. Some extra activities included, cooking class at one of the top universities in the country, drum class, tango classes, performances by different musical groups, tickets to the opera, trip to Tigre, and the list goes on. IES goes above and beyond to make each student feel comfortable and part of the culture of Buenos Aires. You can use as much or as little of the resources they provide.

I lived in a homestay and I could say that the students on my program all had positive experiences and IES worked closely to ensure we were all were happy. IES cares about what YOU want out of YOUR experience, which I feel is different than many other programs.

I was in the advance program and took classes at IES and at a local university. I would recommend you are 100% confident in the course you choose to take at the local university because it is more difficult then the courses at IES. The teachers at IES are great, fun and very helpful. My classes took fieldtrips to sites we were learning about in class. I also took the service learning course that provides you with an internship. Something unique to IES in Buenos Aires. My internship involved me going into Villa 21 (the slums of Buenos Aires) and working with youth there. Other internships included working at the public hospital shadowing doctors, marketing, promoters, etc.

The center is located in microcentro, which is in the heart of Buenos Aires... right off the avenue 9 de julio- the widest avenue in the world. I would say over the majority of students lived close enough to walk to class from their homes.

There is so much to explore in Buenos Aires and IES does a great job at providing you the opportunities to explore while giving you complete independence.

I started learning Spanish in Kindergarten and ever since I have had the desire to learn Spanish. Not only was it something I was good at, but I enjoyed being able to communicate with people from all over the world. I have had the opportunity to intern at a hospital interpreting for Spanish speaking patients and use my language skills in almost every other job I have ever had. Spanish language skills are definitely useful, especially nowadays where Spanish is widely spoken throughout the USA.

Although I cannot speak for ALL of Latin America, I have traveled extensively and have come to the conclusion that no matter where you study abroad, it will be worth it. It does not matter if it is in Costa Rica, Argentina, or Ecuador - you will NOT regret it! As far as Argentina goes, I have really enjoyed being here so far simply because I feel like I am both in "Latin America" and Europe at the same time. The architecture and cafes tend to have a European influence and sometimes I feel like I’m at a Parisian or Spanish café. On the other hand, Argentina definitely still has the Latin 'flavor' which is displayed in its food, dancing, music, and overall way of interacting with people (they are very friendly here and what I would consider an 'open society').

The best thing about being in Argentina besides everything that comes with the experience of studying abroad is the FOOD! I know that sounds cliché, but really—a month can pass by without going to the same restaurant twice. I consistently find great restaurants at great prices that serve AMAZING food. Argentina is known for its meat for good reason – it’s delicious and cheap compared to the prices of meat in the US. Even if you are a vegetarian, there are a TON of options and grocery stores are pretty much the same as in the US (give or take).

My advice to any student thinking or considering of studying abroad is: just do it! Stop procrastinating and get the information you need! You have to make it happen. With a little effort I was able to study abroad 3 different times in 3 different countries. I have met people that have forever changed my life and changed the way I see the world and what goes on. I have not met anyone that regrets their time abroad. There is something out there for everyone, so take a chance and get out and see things that you never thought you would! Buena suerte! [good luck!]

I studied abroad in Buenos Aires from 2009-2010 and it was a good experience. I lived with two different host families and was able to explore two different neighborhoods. I really enjoyed Buenos Aires and its unique barrios. Each barrio has a unique flavor and adds to the color of the city. I love empanadas. As a non red meat eater, I was able to survive as much of the cooking in the city of Buenos Aires has more of a Spanish/Italian flair...if you try the cuisine outside of the city you're sure to be in for a treat. When I was up north almost to the border with Brazil, I had ice cream made out of flowers and when I was all the way south, I had some of the best seafood ever (close second to the seafood of the Gulf Shores).

There are many cultural attractions, festivals, ferias, plays, comedy shows, and events that keep the city alive literally day or night.

I took classes at both IES and at the local universities. I was grateful to have the experience of being with my fellow Americans and getting to know other locals through my classes. I also really enjoyed my internship and learning about the social justice issues. There's a big contrast organizationally between how public universities are run in Argentina versus IES, but the academic staff was great in navigating through all of the paperwork.

I recommend this program and definitely studying abroad in general, it's a worthy experience!

Last fall semester (2011) abroad in Buenos Aires with IES was an experience I will never forget.

From the moment I stepped off the plane, I was in the hands of friendly, capable, and helpful IES staff (most of whom were Porteños). The orientation period was honestly one of the highlights of the trip; it gave us the opportunity to really immerse ourselves in the Argentine culture right away by providing tours around the city, day trips to estancias, and quality time to bond with our new teachers and the orientation staff. It also allowed us to really get to know our new peers and classmates.

The home stay that IES provided me could not have been better. I was placed in a family of eight, including a dog, and was welcomed home everyday with heartwarming ladrido! My Spanish (Castellano) got infinitely better just by living with my family, and it helped that their patience was also infinite.

The city of Buenos Aires itself was simply spectacular. A huge metropolitan area constantly animated by the energy of millions of people. Walking around the streets was in itself an enjoyment as I was subsequently sucked into the fast-paced hustle and bustle of an inner city. There was so much to see and and so much to do, I only wish I could have spent a year (or 2, or 3) exploring all the different barrios!

The nightlife could not have been better. The city is covered with fun social venues of all kinds, whether they be casual restaurants and bars, or party-hardy, early morning clubs, Buenos Aires has them all. Having the opportunity to meet locals and enjoy nights out with them in their element was beyond fantastic (and it helps that Argentines aren't too painful to look at as well).

Classes were informative and challenging, but not overwhelming. My language class at IES was a blast, and I quickly was introduced to the lunfardo of everyday speech. If you're interested in Marketing at all, take Professor Martin Tessi's Marketing in Latin America course--a lot of fun and a couple of field trips involved.

I couldn't recommend IES Abroad in Buenos Aires enough!

Go BsAs!

Spending a semester in Argentina was the stereotypical life-changing study abroad experience everyone talks about. IES was a great and supportive program, and though they were willing to help you when you needed it they weren't breathing down your neck all the time. Part of that may have been because they program was a bit larger (about 100 students) so you were really free to make your own friends and choose your own experiences. They offered some program trips and excursions but you could still decide most of your own weekend travel. I actually spoke no Spanish before heading to Argentina and ended up in the intermediate program, where I learned so much I would say I am very comfortably holding my own in a conversation now. Part of that was certainly my own choices to make Argentine friends and only speak Spanish with my host mother. That was another hugely helpful part of the program and my homestay was absolutely wonderful. Classes were classes, and there were definitely times when spending time in the classroom felt silly because you were in Buenos Aires, but I had great professors all around. I took an Argentine history course which everyone should take (you are living in this country, so you should understand what has happened in the last 100 years), a literature course on drugs and violence (awesome), and two Spanish courses. Both of my academic courses were in English, and only with other IES students, but I also know students who took IES courses in Spanish and/or directly enrolled. The social scene was unbelievable and nights were generally late, so expect to live on a different sleep cycle. I joined a gym and went to yoga classes and a lot of the people I met through those activities became my good friends. Going to dinner at 11 pm and then heading out for dancing until 3 or 4 am was generally a reasonable weekend night!

IES Abroad affords students a wonderful opportunity to independently explore Buenos Aires while supporting and guiding them in their endeavors. With the options of either staying with a host family (which I would highly recommend, particularly for the language immersion), or renting an apartment on your own, students have a lot of freedom in developing their schedule. There is also a great range of classes offered in both the Standard and Advanced levels. The Standard program includes classes taught by Argentine professors in the IES Abroad office to the group of students from American Universities that are enrolled with the program. Most of the classes are focused on Argentine history and society and embody the complete experience of being in Buenos Aires. The Advanced program offers classes in Spanish and also the ability to enroll in one of four partner universities. Spanish class is an integral part of both programs and the professors are engaging and teach practical language skills that encourage students to converse not only with their host families and friends but also with cab drivers, store clerks, and bus drivers. IES provides a comprehensive orientation that discusses the social life in Buenos Aires, an extremely vibrant city, and encourages students to safely explore the city. The program also offers many field trips to local areas and weekend trips that highlight key components of the city and the country. IES employs an extremely supportive staff and provides students with a great opportunity to live and study in Buenos Aires!