college kids..studying abroad

[terryo]

This coming January, my son will be 22, and he wants to go to Argentina with some other students, for winter break, and he will get three credits. It's only three weeks, for $3,000, and he will stay at a dorm in a college there. We have to pay for the air fare, and dinner every night and weekends. His college, Binghamton...upstate NY... is sponsoring them.
I'm a little ..a lot...nervous about this, and want to know if any of you college kids, or anyone out there have done this or know about it.

 

[Josh]

Terry, a very good friend of mine spent a year in Argentina teaching English and it was probably one of the most exciting and eye-opening experiences of his life!

 

[ChiKat]

Many of my friends have studied abroad (never in Argentina though!) and it's basically a life-changing experience! Every single one of them absolutely loved it. I think it's great! I wish I had studied abroad while I was in college (I graduated last week, eek) I would have gone to Spain

 

[-ryan-]

My fiancee studied abroad in Berlin for four agonizing months. I ended up going over to see her for a few days (couldn't go too long... I was in deep enough with most of my professors at the time already). She mostly enjoyed it, and she still says that she wishes she could still live in Berlin, but the experience also taught her about what great things she has going for her over here.

I have never been the traveling type. I am mostly a home body, which is good because of the fact that I have so many great critters to take care of. The rare occasions that I leave home for more than a day or two are usually if I am touring with a band or going on a trip with my fiancee.

 

[BethyB1022]

I went to Italy for a 3 week summer semester, and it was amazing! I still talk about it all the time. Three weeks was a good amount of time for me because I didn't get too homesick for the states, and it didn't drain me of my finances. I felt like I got a taste for the culture, and it was a valid learning experience. Not to mention I got to go with some of my dearest friends, and I made a whole bunch of new ones. While I was there I made friends with students from all corners of the globe, including one from Egypt that told me all about where he was from and told me great stories. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I bet your son will have an awesome adventure in Argentina. Make sure he takes lots of pics!

 

[dmmj]

I have been known to study abroad, or two.

 

[ChiKat]

I have been known to study abroad, or two.

how do you come up with these things?

 

[terryo]

Thanks all for the replies. It seems there are only good ecperiences to talk of. I am so nervous, but he is going as I don't want to deprive him of this experience, and he will get three credits too.

D....you are so silly, but you always make me laugh.

 

[dmward1978]

Terry,

Having the opportunity to study abroad is something a student should never pass up. I regret not taking the opportunity while I was in college. I have the opportunity to travel to Europe frequently with my job but its not the same as getting the chance to to live and fully experience another culture. Americans are at a real disadvantage since we are geographically isolated. Most other people grow up in close contact with different cultures and have the opportunity to learn and appreciate other peoples way of life. That is an invaluable tool in life. I would also say that if you are worried about safety and traveling you can check out the Department of States Travel site. it give you great things to be aware of and give you the Embassy Info.

http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1130.html

I hope this helps settle your mind about him going. I also checked there haven't been any Traveler Safety Warnings in Argentina for a long time.

 

[Stephanie Logan]

Will he be in Buenos Aires? That is a very cosmopolitan town with immigrants speaking Italian, French, and German as well as the Spanish and Portuguese. It's more of a second-world country with lots of stark, ugly Soviet-type apartment buildings, but there is also some beautiful French architecture in the downtown area; I never felt unsafe there.

Fred flies to Buenos Aires frequently and I have been there with him several times. Tell your son to go to Tigre, a river delta region of the massive Parana Delta, and take a river boat tour. He can also take tours of Patagonia and the Pampas regions of that country, and he will eat some of the best (grass-fed) beef in the world! I think the exchange rate is still pretty good, so he will get a lot of bang for his buck.

He will probably see street vendors selling Chaco hatchlings as well!

 

[dmward1978]

Chacos!! Too bad he can't bring us all back one or two.

 

[Tom]

Its not without risks, but I think the gains far outweigh any risk for a young man in his 20's. I think the more our young folks get out and see the rest of the world the better it is. It helps maintain a healthy perspective about home. Eye-opening doesn't even begin to describe it.

I highly recommend you send him. He will come back a changed man, for the better. He'll see things he never saw before and in a good way.

At least that was my experience with seeing the world in my 20's

P.S. Tell him to bring us back some Chaco's and tegus... ha ha.

 

[alfiethetortoise]

I went to study Mandarin in Beijing in 2007 for three months. I had an amazing time. I went on a university scholorship so only paid for food and tourist things while there. I loved the change in culture, the different scenery, being able to travel around. I was 22 at the time, and it didn't seem to be a big thing. There were a few of us who went out together. We had some minor problems (mostly initial language barriers) but everything worked out ok. I'd do it again if the oppertunity came up, though of course, these days i have responsibilities so thats not very likely!

 

[terryo]

He will probably see street vendors selling Chaco hatchlings as well!


Now that is a bummer.....there's no way huh????

 

[Shelly]

In exactly 12 hours I will be driving my oldest girl back to school (USC) to board an airport shuttle to catch a flight to Belize. She will be working for 2 weeks with a cultural archeologist at the site of some Mayan ruins. Then back to USC for a week in the classroom.
I wouldn't think of depriving her of this experience. I've never even been to Mexico!

 

[chadk]

regarding mexico... you are not missing much.... hence the contstant flow of illegal immigrants each day heading into the US....

Argentina sounds like a pretty cool experience.