IES Abroad Buenos Aires – Society & Culture

Studying abroad in Buenos Aires with IES Abroad in the fall of 2024 was an amazing experience. From the moment I arrived, the staff in Buenos Aires were incredibly supportive and made me feel like part of a family. They guided me through every step, from selecting classes to navigating any issues with my host family or living situation. Their support extended to everything, including medical assistance and travel tips. One of the highlights was the opportunity to meet amazing people from all over the United States and Argentina. I formed lifelong friendships and connections. The cultural immersion activities, like city tours and cooking with locals, allowed me to experience Argentine culture beyond the classroom. Whether it was sharing mate in a park, taking tango classes, or watching a fútbol match. I especially appreciated the integration of field trips into the curriculum, making learning feel dynamic and grounded in the real world. Buenos Aires is a vibrant and diverse city, full of history, art, music, and nightlife. Every barrio had its unique vibe, and I loved exploring them all. I also appreciated how affordable and accessible the city was for students. If you're considering studying abroad, I highly recommend this program. It pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best ways, helped me grow both personally and professionally, and left me with memories and friendships I’ll carry forever

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My experience in Buenos Aires was truly unforgettable. That is a cliche thing to say, I know, as it is said by virtually each and every student who studies abroad. But I truly believe that my time not only in Buenos Aires, but specifically with IES was a special one to say the least. Buenos Aires is a magical city. You have the South American culture, yet in a very European-like, metropolitan city. The Spanish is so beautiful, yet the people are even more so - in their looks and in their actions. They are kind, welcoming, encouraging, and respectful, and they make you want to experience their hometown like they have. I had this experience both with random locals I met, with my host family, and with the people who worked with IES. IES truly could not have made me feel more at home in a city so far and so different from my actual home than they did. The opportunities for community they provided, their services and encouragement they continuously offered, and the ways in which they challenged me to do my best and to make the most out of my experience was second to none, and was with out a doubt one of, if not the, greatest factor in making my time abroad so spectacular. If i could do it again, I would. A thousand times over.

IES Abroad: Latin American Societies and Cultures is a great program! If you are looking for a program that accepts students with a wide range of Spanish language experience, this program is right for you. Classes at IES give students an in depth study of Argentina: it's history, culture, politics, etc. You will leave knowing so much about the country. IES also offers many field trip activities around the city of Buenos Aires and different cities in Argentina. If you are eager to practice your Spanish, be sure to sign up for language partners! This is a great way to meet locals (especially if you aren't eligible to enroll in a partner university). The staff is great, the classes are both challenging and interesting, and you will learn so much about your surroundings. I loved my time with IES Abroad and can't wait until I can get back to Buenos Aires someday!

When I think about my study abroad experience in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I immediately have the urge to want to go back. The culture in Argentina is so passionate that it brought out a side of me that no other experience can. I felt completely separated from the U.S. and what I have known all my life, but at the same time I learned so much about how a different country in the world operates on a daily basis. When I came back to the U.S. I could see many differences in lifestyle and norms in society that made me appreciate what I have here in the U.S. and what I had in Argentina. I developed so much more as a person where I could express myself in a different setting through the Spanish language and understand life in Argentina especially by talking with my host parents and locals in Buenos Aires. I cannot emphasize the IES Abroad program enough through words other than the fact that it changed my life for the better. If I could study abroad again, I would in an instant. One of my best memories abroad was when I went with a group of friends on my program to Mendoza, Argentina where we went horseback riding right next to the snow covered Andes Mountains and later, we went trekking up the Andes into the clouds. When we went trekking, we were completely isolated and we were one with nature. I was able to take a step back from everyday life and appreciate what was in front of me. I would highly recommend the IES Abroad Buenos Aires program because you are able to learn a lot in the classes, but you also can partake in planned IES trips and excursions so that you can learn more about the culture and experience Argentina. In addition, you will have plenty of time to go on short weekend trips to nearby places like Uruguay and Tigre (north of Buenos Aires), or you can stay in Buenos Aires and explore one of the many different neighborhoods that the city has to offer.

Mark Twain once said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Twain calls us to step out of our comfort zone and seek that which we fear. He calls us to explore this incredible planet, with all its beauty, knowledge, and adventure and to do so with an open mind and an open heart. This quote and mentality perfectly embodies my experience abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At the risk of sounding cliché, Argentina completely stole my heart. From the second I anxiously stumbled off the plane, nervously caught a cab, and was received in my homestay with rapid Spanish and a mom with open arms, I knew I had made the right decision. The city itself is one of the most beautiful and unique cities I have ever been to. The stunning and distinctive architecture portrays its historical disarray and immigration, with hints of various European influences, predominantly Spanish, Italian and German. This European influence prevails through every aspect of Argentine life and culture; from the appearance of a Porteño (those native to the city), to the food, to way Spanish is spoken, to the warm greeting of a kiss on the cheek. What makes Buenos Aires, and Argentina as a whole, so unique is that it maintains its European influences, while also having many traits specific to South America, especially when you leave the city and enter the countryside. The city is constantly teeming with chatter, laughter and liveliness. The energy of the city is so contagious and so awakening. Everyday I explored and saw new parts of the city and every time I would fall in love with it all over again. While I absolutely loved the city, I also really loved being outdoors and exploring. IES does a good job of striking the balance between making sure we engage in academics, while also giving us the tools and opportunity to still be able to travel. Argentina is a HUGE country and I am so happy that I got to see most of it. I got to go paraglide and horseback riding through the stunning Andes Mountains in Mendoza; I saw countless Orcas in the waters of the Peninsula Valdes; I got to play with penguins in Punta Tombo, home to one of the largest penguin rookeries in the world; I participated in Oktoberfest, Argentina-style in Cordoba; I rode the white waters of one of the largest rivers in Bariloche, Patagonia; I hiked for days in the beautiful El Chalten, Patagonia; and I climbed to the top of one of the largest Glaciers in the world in El Calafate, Patagonia. On top of that I also got to visit Uruguay and Chile- both amazing, but didn’t capture me in the way Argentina did. I dedicated my time abroad to immersing myself in the language, in the culture, in the lifestyle and, generally just optimizing the countless benefits to a homestay and to my studies with IES. My time abroad was by far the most challenging, yet transformative and rewarding 5 months of my life- I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I created amazing and unique friendships and memories for myself that I will never forget.

My experience in Argentina was five of the most exciting months of my entire life. I was able to backpack in Patagonia, hike the desert landscape of the Salta region, enjoy a unique twist on Oktoberfest in Cordoba, and learn to tango in Buenos Aires. Argentina is a unique, and diverse country filled with a proud and resilient population. It was so hard for me to leave Argentina that I changed my flight to leave a month after my original departure date. It is easy for me to say that my time down south, has altered my life (in a positive way) forever. I chose IES, because I wanted a program in which I would be able to improve my Spanish and fully immerse myself into the host country’s culture – Buenos Aires proved the perfect vehicle for just that. Buenos Aires is an exciting and vibrant city, I loved that each barrio (neighborhood) was uniquely distinct from one another, and that simply walking a few blocks could transport you into a diverse subculture within the larger context of Buenos Aires. IES help ease us into the culture by providing field trips to local estancias, museums, nearby towns, etc. IES helped make Buenos Aires feel like home within a few short weeks.

Studying abroad in Buenos Aires was a great experience. The IES staff really wants you to succeed in your classes and learn so much from experiencing the culture. Some of the classes go on field trips that really help demonstrate what the class is about. Field trips include going to estancias, rugby game, cooking class, museums, and much more. I stayed in a home stay, and it was so enjoyable. I felt like I was really included in the family. Every night we would sit down at dinner together and talk about politics, great places to visit, and about our days. This was all in Spanish. Speaking in Spanish at school all day and then continuing when I left class made me improve my Spanish tremendously! The families tend to be really great cooks too! There is also a choice to participate in the Spanish language partners program. You are matched with an Argentine student. You meet with them about once a week and talk in Spanish for a half hour and then English for a half hours. It is a great opportunity to meet some Argentinians and go to local places that some tourists might not know about. There are so many great places to travel in Argentina! Every place is completely different, so you can have so many different types of experiences in you travels. I highly recommend visiting Iguazu Falls and El Calafate and El Chalten in Patagonia. Uruguay is only a couple hour ferry ride away from Buenos Aires. I suggest making Uruguay a weekend trip. It’s great to visit, but more than a weekend is not necessary. My program was in Spring 2013, and I still get really excited whenever I get to tell someone about my experience! I look forward to the day I get to go back and visit Argentina. I highly recommend studying abroad with IES Abroad Buenos Aires.

It's really hard to pick just one because the whole semester was so much fun. I think the most memorable part would be hiking in Patagonia with a few close friends from my program. It was incredible to be almost alone and surrounded by such natural beauty. I chose IES Buenos Aires because I knew that I wanted to go somewhere where I could improve my Spanish, but that could accommodate my low initial language level. IES was flexible and had so many options for types of classes, language levels, home stay vs. dorm, and more. I lived in an apartment in the heart of the city with a local family, who I grew to know and love. My host mom was a grandmother, whose daughter and son-in-law, and three young grandchildren all lived with her. Playing with the children and growing close to the family was one of the highlights of my experience in Buenos Aires- I still talk to them and miss them a lot!

I had an incredible experience in Buenos Aires. I got really close with the family that I lived with, who I loved, and also had so much space to adventure and explore the city. Buenos Aires is such an eclectic, fantastic, fun city and IES really helped me have such a great experience there- through them, I met so many great people, enjoyed a lot of planned excursions, learned about the history and context in my classes, and improved my Spanish by a ton!

Every single day in Buenos Aires was exciting. The city is so lively, both at night and during the day. I had so much fun exploring the parks, museums, and nightlife of Buenos Aires. Argentina as a country also has a lot of beautiful sites to offer. My most memorable trip was to Iguazu Falls. I travelled there one of the first weekends with a small group and had the best time. It is absolutely breathtaking and makes you feel so small. I chose IES because a friend had studied with the same program the year before. She raved about the staff, and she was right! I stayed in an apartment with one woman, my host mom, and another american girl with IES. I had my own room. I shared a bathroom with the other american.

My semester in Buenos Aires with IES was amazing. The staff is awesome and always looking to improve your experience. I loved my homestay, my host mom really made my experience. Buenos Aires is an amazing, exciting city to study abroad in.