Juliana Mesa, CGIS Advisor: Thank you so much for joining me today, Allie! Why don't you start by introducing yourself?
Allie Davis: My name is Allie Davis. I use she/her pronouns. I am doing a double major in International Studies and Spanish. I am attending the CGIS: Advanced Spanish program in Buenos Aires, Argentina - Winter of 2025.
Selecting the program
Juliana Mesa: Why did you choose this study abroad program?
Allie Davis: A lot of people who go abroad for their Spanish language requirements usually go to Spain, but I wanted to go somewhere in South America to be more immersed in the language. There's a lot less English usage there compared to in Europe. And Argentina seemed like a unique place, and I didn’t know the next time that I would be able to go to South America. Compared to Europe, the flight is longer and more expensive, but definitely worth it.
Academics
JM: How is the academic experience in Argentina different from that at U-M?
AD: It's definitely much less rigorous than U-M, which I really appreciate this semester. The [local university] classes have less busy work and reading. It’s more so a straight 3 hour lecture, which is really great for my schedule, because I only have to go to school 3 days a week. You take notes, you have a midterm, maybe a project, and that's about it. The IFSA classes, I would say, have more but smaller assignments dispersed throughout the semester; they mirror an American school system in that way.
JM: I do want to add, your case is more the exception than the rule. Like Allie, some students may be able to arrange a different schedule, but students going abroad on any CGIS program, to any country, should expect classes Monday through Friday.
AD: Right, the only reason my schedule was possible was because the university only has its classes once a week, unlike at like U-M, where a lecture is twice a week. It was also a personal preference of mine to have two 3-hour classes back to back on Wednesdays, so I’m there from 8 am to 2 pm, instead of having class on more days.
JM: Right. If you want to prioritize travel, you could try to do that. But CGIS or IFSA cannot guarantee that the schedule would work that way. Also, it is going to be a very intense day, or a couple of days, if you're taking classes back to back, especially long classes. Take all of those things into consideration.
Housing
Juliana Mesa: What housing option did you choose on this program? And how has that been?
Allie Davis: I'm living with a host family. It’s really great if you're trying to learn the language of where you are, because my host family doesn't speak a lick of English—it really forces me to learn new words and new ways of speaking. Also, if I forget a word, I can't just default to English, because they're like, huh? It’s more like a guessing game, describing what I'm talking about without actually saying it. My language has improved a lot, because we talk every night at dinner and watch Argentine game shows. It is also really nice to have someone cook for you. I've tasted a lot of food that I have never tasted before, including different fruits and vegetables, like different varieties like squash and melon.
AD: It is definitely a little strange to go from living in your own apartment to living with an older family, but it's an experience that I’ll never forget. But at the same time, I live a 5 minute walk away from 2 girls that chose to live in an apartment, so I spend a lot of time in their apartment. One of my friends that lives in the apartment, she always tells me, “I wish I would have done a homestay.” It's just nice to feel more ingrained in Argentine culture.
JM: Yeah, most definitely, we encourage students to do the homestay. We understand that there are different circumstances, and it may not work out for some people, but living with a host family will give you that full cultural language immersion that you wouldn't get if you're in an apartment, where you're more independent and opportunities to talk to the locals are less likely.
Food
JM: You mentioned the difference in meals. Is there anything you'd like to highlight? Did you have a favorite meal?
AD: My host mom made this caramelized onion tart one time, which was so good. This other time she had made a dish of potato flakes with sauce and a fried egg on top. It was delicious.
Public transportation
Juliana Mesa: Earlier, you were speaking about your commute. Can you talk a little bit more about that? How's that experience between going from your house to classes at the IFSA Center or USAL?
Allie Davis: On Tuesdays, I only have classes at IFSA, and originally I was taking the bus. After a couple of weeks, I learned that the bus is going to be late, because the traffic by the IFSA center is horrendous. I've started walking 20 minutes to take the nearest subte [subway]. Since it goes underground, it just bypasses all the traffic.
AD: The other 2 days, I have my USAL classes in the morning before IFSA in the afternoon, so I take the bus to USAL—it isn't as far into the city center as IFSA is, so the traffic isn't as bad. That's only a 2 minute walk from my house, right down the street. In the afternoon, I can actually walk between USAL and IFSA. It’s only a 20 minute walk. My class at USAL ends at 11, and then my class at IFSA starts at 11:30. It's a perfect amount of time to walk, or even grab a pastry.
JM: Well, that's great. I'm glad that you've gotten adjusted to navigating the city. Do you have any suggestions for students for taking the bus or subte?
AD: First of all, I would recommend wearing your backpack on the front, just to be safe. There is a lot of pickpocketing, and I've seen it happen as soon as the second day that I was in Buenos Aires. My second recommendation would be that if you are going somewhere, especially downtown, take the subte over the bus. The subte runs every 5 minutes, and it's always going to get there at the exact time that you want.
AD: The bus, I think, is more reserved for if you're doing something at your leisure and you have room to be delayed, because you are definitely going to be delayed, whether it's because they take a different route that day, or there's traffic, or there's a ton of people getting on and off. You never know exactly when the bus is going to get to where you think it's going, or if it's going to stop at your stop at all—if it's full, they just drive by the stop and don't pick you up. That has happened to me before (only once, though), and I took an Uber that morning instead. Ubers in Buenos Aires are very cheap.
JM: Okay, well, that's really good advice as well. It’s good to know that Uber is also a good option, not for every day, but in case of an emergency.
AD: Yes, as a last resort, it's pretty good.
Money management/travel
JM: Speaking of money management, do you have any advice on how to budget for the program? What are some financial considerations?
AD: Yes, cash is the best. There are a lot of places that will post a sign for a cash discount. Or if you ask them a lot of times, they'll say: “Yeah, we take 10% off or whatever.” It's smart to bring cash to exchange in Buenos Aires, not in the airport, but at exchange houses all over the city, which are very private. The door locks. But they are very picky about what type of money you bring: if you want the best exchange rate, it has to be a hundred dollar bill, no creases, no folds, no pen marks, no tears, basically fresh out of the bank.
I didn't bring enough cash, so I ended up making a transfer to myself with Western Union. It sounds difficult, but honestly, the website tells you exactly what to do and the first time that you do it, there's no fee. You go to a Western Union hut and they give you the money after they look at your passport, and then you're set.
AD: As for the budgeting aspect, I think it really depends on the individual. When I started this program, I knew that I prioritized travel more than nightlife or lunch or coffee in the city. I put a big amount of my budget into being able to pay for flights to different parts of Argentina, or the bouquet bus to Uruguay. My biggest priority in coming to Argentina was that I wanted to see more than just the city, because all the different regions of Argentina are so unique.
Travel
JM: Right. That is true. Some students get discouraged and opt to do Spain instead of Argentina, because they think that in Spain they're going to be able to travel more. But there's also a lot to see in Argentina. I'm glad that you've been able to see different parts of Argentina and other countries nearby.
AD: For sure. I've been traveling for more than half of the weekends that I've been there, and I still haven't hit so many of the spots in Argentina, because it's such a big country. Beforehand, I definitely did think that it would be cheaper to travel to other neighboring countries. That was a bit of a culture shock for me. It is very expensive to fly out, even just to neighboring Bolivia.
AD: To fly within the country, I always fly with Jetsmart. They have good promotions a lot of the time—I just snagged a $35 round trip flight to Bariloche, which is crazy cheap. I don't think I've ever spent more than $70 roundtrip on flights to farther areas. I flew to Mendoza for, I think, $50. I always stay in hostels, though, which are super cheap—usually $10 to $15 a night—and often, they include breakfast. Before this trip, I had never stayed in a hostel before, and now I think I've stayed in 5.
JM: Yeah, we've had students in the past suggest hostels as a good option. But it's important for students to know that you have to share the rooms with other people. There are rarely any private rooms available. It's very different from the hotel experience.
AD: It's definitely budget travel, but if you go with a group of 4 to 6 people, you can usually get a room alone, if you book in advance. Otherwise they fill up unevenly, and you get put into different rooms.
JM: Yeah, that's a good point.
AD: But it is a great way to meet people, because you're forced to.
JM: Yes, that is very true. Not only people from Argentina, but from other countries that are just traveling around.
Culture differences
Juliana Mesa: I wanted to also ask you if there are any other cultural differences between Argentina and the U.S. that you find noticeable.
Allie Davis: Yes, everyone tells you before you go that they're going to eat dinner so late, that you're going to be up so late. It is very true; before going to Argentina, I would be in bed asleep by 11 pm or 12 am, and wake up at 7 or 8 am. That’s not happening here. We eat dinner at 9:30 or 10 pm and we’re still at the dinner table until at least 11 pm. Other than that, I think people are more talkative in Argentina. There's a lot more spontaneous conversation, and people will just start talking to you about whatever, sharing about their day, what they're going to be doing, or try and set you up with their son. That happens a lot too.
JM: That's hilarious.
AD: Yes, very friendly. I have noticed that a lot of people will go far out of their way to help you, even if they don't know you at all.
JM: Nice. That's definitely a plus, I would say.
AD: Yes, for sure. And in general, things are more relaxed here. Everyone is late to everything. People don't put as much importance and stress on small details like that. I would say that they spend more time trying to have a good time and enjoying the company of their friends and family, taking in the view of the city. The parks are always full, even if it's the middle of the day. People are always enjoying and living their life.
JM: That's good. It's nice to also learn a little bit from that slower pace.
Biggest takeaway
JM: To wrap up, what is something that you think you'll be remembering from this experience 20 years from now?
AD: I've only been here for 2 months, but I've made a lot of really close friends at this time. I am certain that I will continue to be in contact with them, or for the Americans, hopefully visit them after the program has ended.
AD: Also, I think that this experience has taught me a lot about myself, that I'm a lot more adaptable and independent than I thought. It’s good knowing that I was able to move somewhere and live there, even if it’s difficult. It gives you the feeling that everything is going to work out, which really changes your outlook on your future and opens up possibilities for what you might do and where you might end up.
JM: That's awesome. Yeah, that is a great takeaway from studying abroad. Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me.
Have questions for Allie? Reach out to her at alliedav@umich.edu.
