Program Reviews

I absolutely loved my time in Spain! My host family was amazing and I had so much fun there! I wish I could have spent more time there taking more classes! I loved my teacher, he was so fun and really patient with me! My host mom was so nice to me and made literally the best food I have ever had. She was so helpful with everything I asked for. Her food was so good, and carefully thought out. I learned so much and I really had a big fear of my Dyslexia making it not a good idea to study abroad. However, The teachers were so helpful and kind to me! This is why I had such a good experience.

Oaxaca was magical from the people to the food everything was full of color and gret energy. It was a super educational and exciting experience. Arcos provided us with two of their best guides Eva and Paulina, they made everything extra special we felt safe at all times and Paulina went above and beyond to make sure we were doing well at all times. Our students who stayed with host families had nothing but great things to report of the host parents for sure it was a great trip. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in experience the richness Oaxaca has to offer.

I loved this program the directors weren’t afraid to show their personality while also being professional. It really made me and the group more comfortable during our stay. The excursions were very fun, we were always with at least one directors during the excursions and they made sure we were safe and having fun. The homestays gave amazing care. They all cared very much about the well-being of the students. I would say the only thing I didn’t like was the timing of the activities, it felt that there was barely any time to rest.

The program I attended in Buenos Aires, Argentina was a dream come true! I had always wanted to travel to South America and being able to receive credits needed for my degree while visiting a bucket list destination could not have been more perfect! Having homestays made the program even more memorable. My host mother was absolutely wonderful and I still talk to her to this day! Over the course of the program I improved my Spanish, grew in my understanding and appreciation of Argentine culture, and made friends for life. I truly could not recommend a program through Arcos enough.

The program was great and offers a good base for exploring the country. However, you must challenge yourself to interact with locals and form connections there. This will be a great trip if you explore on your own in addition to what the program offers. Overall, it was fun and rewarding trip. I had an incredible host family, especially host sister who welcomed me with open arms. I was so lucky that she showed me many parts of Costa Rica that I would have never seen without a close connection to her. Costa Rica felt incredibly safe and was a great place to learn Spanish.

I absolutely loved my study abroad program with Arcos! I went to Granada, Spain on an 18-day program and took classes at the University of Granada. The classes take up about 5 hours of your day, so it’s a lot, but my teachers gave very minimal homework so it evened out. One thing I loved about Granada is that there are so many other students and universities there. It feels almost like a college town - I saw other students going to class every morning, staff at the coffee shops and other stores knew we were trying to learn Spanish and they’d patiently humor us and help us out. The Arcos staff was super communicative, helpful and flexible. I had a lot of problems with my flight and came a day and a half late and they helped get everything smoothly back on track. My host mom was great and very talkative, which helped me get more comfortable speaking in Spanish! Overall a fabulous experience. Also, be prepared to never sleep in. I had to be up and at a meeting location or school by 8:30 every single morning, even weekends.

I loved my study abroad experience in Buenos Aires, Argentina during summer 2024. It was a fun and very enriching experience. I loved learning the local slang, visiting the many local markets, seeing the beautiful architecture of the city, and of course, going out for delicious gelato every night. Everyone was so kind and helpful, and the area of the city we were in was safe to explore, even late at night. One of my favorite experiences was the tunnels of San Telmo! It was both historically and architecturally fascinating, and we even got to say hello to the creator of the museum. Overall, it was an amazing experience that I would recommend to every student who has the opportunity!

My trip to Spain was very exciting. While I mainly went because of the opportunity to walk the Camino, I did still need credits in Spanish. Academics wise, the program was not too challenging. I personally wanted help strengthening my basics and foundation of Spanish so I was placed in a class below my actual level so I could work on the basics. Most of my learning actually occurred out and around the cities I was visiting. I made it a point to not speak any English which reinforced my confidence and ability to learn. Aside from academics the program was everything I could’ve asked for. I was able to experience multiple cities. While there are planned activities from the coordinating company, I wish I would’ve known ahead of time of times I would be on my own to explore. I would’ve looked into more options for excursions or activities. One thing I would critique, which may be personal to me but can also pertain to others is the group I travelled with. I knew some of my group members prior to the trip but not very well. At the beginning of the trip we all got along, but drama arose and things became antithetical to what I expected my trip to be like. To avoid all the drama, I stayed away from the group as much as I could, which allowed me to meet local people and get an experience I would not have gotten with my group. If you’re not comfortable traveling and doing things alone then I recommend making good friends with similar expectations for the trip. Since I was comfortable traveling and doing things alone, I was able to make friends in Spain and try new things. I still talk with those friends today. Overall it was a great experience and Arcos made the entire experience wonderful!

Buenos Aires is the best place to study abroad. The city has endless things to do and trips to Uruguay are very accessible. Buenos Aires is very different from the rest of Argentina and South America so go out and explore. The Universidad de Belgrano is a great mix of international and local students and the class sizes are great. The city has European elements but it is uniquely Argentine. There are many markets for vintage clothing across the city and the music scene is great as well. In regard to crime, violent crime is unlikely in the areas international students will frequent. To be safe, don't keep valuables in back pockets or easily accessibly compartments of bags/backpacks. When at cafes and restaurants don't leave computers or bags unattended, and don't hang bags on the back of your chair. Overall, Buenos Aires an amazing place and the safety concern should not prevent you from going.

Arcos provided me with experiences that shaped me as a human being. My semester abroad is unforgettable because it really changed me for the better. The program did an amazing job at helping me stay present in the moment and enjoying everything as it was happening. I notice so many positive changes in myself now that I am back at my home university. My homestay experience was so wonderful, I really felt like a part of their family. My house mother especially treated me like her daughter and gave me so much love and support, I couldn’t have done any of it without her.