Saturday, June 1, 2013
Advice or articles for a 17 year old girl about to study abroad in Argentina?
Advice or articles for a 17 year old girl about to study abroad in Argentina?
1. I'm already accepted into the program. In fact, I have 11 days before I leave 2. A packing list or guide would be nice, but I REALLY need something other than "pack light, bring your documents and a spare pair of glasses 3. I'm staying with a HOST family, not in a dorm. And I'll be going to a public high school for Argentine kids, so I will be learning in Spanish 4. I am not fluent in Spanish 5. Blogs from any past high school exchange kids would be nice 6. Articles on Argentina or Mendoza in specific would be cool 7. Any books or movies on Argentina, study abroad, etc would be appreciated. However, I've already seen She Gets What She Wants (The one about the French girl), Mean Girls, The Motorcycle Diaries, and The Color of Friendship. And my Foreign Exchange Students Survival Kit is on the way. Feel free to throw in anything else you might think is useful :D
Studying Abroad - 1 Answers
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1 :
Packing list, since you're staying with a host family: - A GOOD English-Spanish dictionary. Even if it takes up a little extra room, bring the best one you can find. - Obnoxious luggage tags. The brighter the better. - Any American products you can't live without. This includes things like shampoo and toothpaste. If you can't live without Herbal Essence shampoo (for example), bring an extra bottle. Chances are, you won't find it outside the US - Photocopies of ALL of your documents - A handwritten list of important phone numbers, including the number for cancelling a credit card if you're bringing one, and your host family's phone numbers. If your stuff gets stolen, you don't want those numbers to only be in your phone or on your credit card. - An umbrella. It rains in Argentina, too. - 100$ worth of local currency, just in case. You can get it at your local currency exchange, or at the airport. - Plug adapters and a voltage converter. - A money belt, if you can find one. - A small backpack for day trips or school. You can use it as a carry-on. - No more than 3 pairs of shoes. - Climate-appropriate clothing, along with a couple inappropriate items. Even if it's warm, you may want to bring a hoodie. Some other things to consider: - Your internet connection may not be strong, if it's even there. I had this problem when I studied abroad, and had no back up plans. Consider getting a calling card if you want to keep in touch with your family. You can usually get a cheap, pay as you go phone. - Many drugs that are legal in the US are not legal in other countries. Check with your adviser about bringing anything with you, even if it's SudaFed (which is illegal in Japan, and a few other countries). - If you're planning on cooking, bring your own measuring cups/spoons and recipes. Most other countries use the metric system for cooking. - Consider cultural expectations for your clothing. Is it rude to wear shorts? Even if it isn't rude, will you be viewed in a negative way for doing so? What about cleavage? - If your host family is not providing bedding, wait until you arrive in Argentina to buy it. Just some stuff I thought would help. I spent a semester abroad last year, so a lot of this is from experience.
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