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Problems with the NYU study abroad model
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I was invited a few days ago to have dinner with the children of a friend of my host mother. There were five children in all that ranged from 30-15 and they were a very welcoming family. They’ve extended invitations for me to go out with them on the weekend and I feel that I am finally making some real friends with people who live here. I think that with a month left in the semester this is both exciting but also frustrating. I don’t know if this is happening at the other NYU sites, but because we are only interacting with NYU students it is quite difficult to meet people our own age that live here. Had come to Buenos Aires with the hope that I could learn Spanish and know the people here, but because I am constantly surrounded by Americans this is very hard to achieve. I wonder why NYU doesn’t attempt to integrate the students more and perhaps this could be the biggest set back of the NYU study abroad model. I feel that on the whole students that study abroad don’t want to create a little piece of America or even NYU in their chosen city but want to experience it. Yes this model provides some comfort but it definetly limits how we can interact with the culture. My home stay mother had two male students from Chicago before I arrived and they had no Spanish experience before coming here. She said that in seven weeks they had become fluent. The program they had been in was only with Argentine students. I know that I am far from fluent and it’s sad to think that I have only been limited by the type of program I chose to attend.
How do you all feel about this? What have you encountered? Though I’ve loved being here and I wish that I did not have to leave, I’m still wondering how I can make another trip or another amount of time in a Spanish speaking country because I still haven’t been able to get out of it what I could have. With that said. I am excited to spend time with my new friends, continue with my classes and exploring the city. I am trying to make most of the time that I’ve spent here and it has flown by so fast. I’m actually a little scared that I only have three semesters left!
I feel exactly the same way.
I feel exactly the same way. Overall, I'm very happy with my experience abroad, but the one, glaring problem is my lack of integration into French culture to the point where I'm not as fluent as I wanted to be.
I don't think I'm going to make it back to live in France and do this again. I'm starting Spanish when I get home, and if I'm fortunate enough to do something else abroad, it will most likely be in a Spanish speaking country, which is exciting, but it also means that my French is about as good as it's gonna get.
At least I learned my lesson though, and if I go abroad with my Spanish, I know not to repeat the mistake of staying in an American bubble if I want to become fluent.
I totally agree with you. I
I totally agree with you. I think NYU's model works for some, who don't necessarily have the desire or the confidence to fully immerse themselves in a foreign place. But it's also really frustrating that NYU makes it very difficult to go to a foreign university in a place where they have a program (greedy, much?) so we're not really even given that opportunity to begin with. I know that I don't feel too dedicated to learning French, but for those in the program that do it is difficult to feel like after such a long time they haven't made liguistic progress--or have even gotten worse than when they arrived.
i know what you mean
i know we are in the same program, but i agree with your frustration. while it is a comfort to be with so many americans and have a defined NYU community (something i feel the NYC campus lacks), i do wish i had more opportunities to meet locals or other exchange students. A few weeks ago i met a group of guys who are studying abroad here from Costa Rica and live in my apt building. Spending time with them and all the friends they have met from around the world through their program really mad me regret how few non-nyu students i have encountered.