SIT Study Abroad: Argentina: People, Environment, & Climate

My time in Ushuaia, Argentina was a highlight of my college experience. If you are looking to improve your Spanish, expose yourself to a new culture, and live in one of the most beautiful small cities in Patagonia along the "end of the Earth", this is the program for you. Ushuaia itself is like a big small town nestled between the end of the Andes mountain range and the ocean. So, there's plenty to do as long as you like hiking, skiing, and immersing yourself in local culture. For example, with other students from the program, I went skiing, horseback riding along the beach, and hiking (sometimes with our host families, too!) in my spare time. The people you will meet are kind, friendly, and warm. Beyond your course programming — which does a wonderful job introducing you to local history, sites of interest, and activities — taking advantage of your stay with a host family can open up lots of doors for you as well. For example, my host sister was around my age and with her, I felt included into her friend group and her family. I joined a local rugby club and experienced everything from the movie theater and mall to nightlife. Doing all of this in Spanish with my host family and friends helped me improve my language in a way that felt natural and fun. Of course, there are challenges to any experience like this, but in my opinion, SIT sets you up for success so long as you are ready to take advantage of all that Ushuaia and its people have to offer.

I absolutely loved my time during this program in Ushuaia, Argentina. Studying during my U.S. fall semester (Patagonian spring), I will be forever grateful for the three months I got to immerse myself in Fuegian culture. First, the program's academics are very relevant to your time in Ushuaia. They helped me gain more from the immersion, such as the geological processes that led to the formation of the area, the marine and terrestrial biology, and the history of the Tierra del Fuego Indigenous peoples. I will say that the Spanish classes are less so about grammatical concepts and more about practicing conversation. However, the professors are very open to feedback and will tailor lessons to your wants early in the semester. Second, the directors' support is extremely helpful, starting from your orientation week and all throughout the semester. I had a lot of fun getting to know them and experiencing the wonderful trips and experiences they plan alongside the SIT group. They are all very knowledgeable about Ushuaia and are full of recommendations/ share information about cultural events that are happening throughout the city. Third, the nature around the city is extremely accessible and it's very possible to do a day hike almost every weekend when there aren't excursions planned! I used AllTrails for navigation and trail reviews before heading out on trail. Lastly, I had an amazing time staying with my host family. They accepted me on the spot and were very accommodating to my language level and interests throughout the program. The program puts a lot of thought into the matches for host families and students, but if you are struggling with your host family, the directors are very receptive to solutions for any problems. They want to help you be as comfortable as possible and support you for a successful and enjoyable semester. And, of course, who wouldn't want to go on a trip to Antarctica?? I cannot recommend this program enough and all of the amazing memories that come from just one semester in Argentina.

This was a terrific study abroad experience! The short version was my Spanish improved, I had a wonderful host family, learned about city of Ushuaia and the Antarctic ecosystem, and fell in love with the Patagonian land scape. Also I got to research penguins in the field! In longer form: Arriving in Ushuaia was intimidating, and it took a bit to mesh with my cohort, but once I found my footing, I had some of the best months of my life. I was impressed with how educational the classes were, pleased with how much my Spanish improved, and felt immensely lucky to have such a supportive and loving host family. Classes focused on the local ecology and landscape which generally kept me interested. I started with a good sense of Spanish and ended the program with really good conversational Spanish. I ended up traveling in Patagonia after and was easily able to make friends and rapports in Spanish by that time. I would highly recommend doing this if you have the chance! I think Patagonia is the most beautiful place in the world. My host family was a really good time and I’m still in touch with them over a year later. I truly can’t believe how fortunate I was to have such a social, sweet, and generally loving host family. I had two host brothers who were roughly my age, and I had great and very different relationships with each of them. Antarctica was phenomenal – there is not much to say besides it was a once in a lifetime experience. The boat was luxurious, the landscape was magnificent, and the polar plunges were loads of fun. Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my Independent Study Project. For m ISP, I studied the foraging habits of Magellanic Penguins. I got to go into the field, and take a boat to an island where three species of penguins were nesting and do field work with them multiple times. Once I even picked up and weighed the baby penguins. Interestingly the research paper I produced was able to direct some of my advisors future research and seemed to really play a role in her scientific process. I had some of the best times of my life during this study abroad program and wholeheartedly recommend it. It was wonderful. And if at all possible go on to travel throughout the region – you won’t regret it.