Uruguay: Montevideo - Spanish Language, Agribusiness, Viticulture, and Gender Studies

Montevideo is a sleepy city that is easy to walk, but has an awesome and cheap transportation system. People are super kind and curious, and there's a real sense of community with Uruguayans. There are also a lot of perks that come with using a foreign visa card, such as up to an 18% discount on some items. The onsite staff were incredible and helped tremendously with everything from housing issues to class scheduling. As a side note, be prepared for being around lots of tobacco and marijuana smoking, because it is legal in Uruguay and part of the cultural norm.

My friend told me when I was looking at studying abroad programs that I should go somewhere I would never think to vacation to. With that in mind, little Uruguay easily fit into my travel search requirements.

The country is incredible. The capital, Montevideo has small country feel with big cities amenities. There is always something new to do, whether it is exploring the old city and trying out the parillas, to big night clubs such as Jackson and Sparrow. There is something for every scene. The people are very friendly, but be prepared to use your Spanish, as English is not commonly spoken.

If you get the opportunity, take the time to visit the interior of the country if you want the full authentic experience.

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!

Montevideo is a great city with a lot to offer. The culture is very laid back, and the people are nothing but kind. The region is great if you like to travel. Uruguay is small, and you can easily get to one point of the country to the other in a matter of hours. If you'd like to be more adventurous flights to Chile and ferries to Argentina are fairly cheap and allow you to experience distinct cultures, and to get a change of pace.