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Buenos Días from Buenos Aires: College courses in Argentina

Buenos días, everybody! I hope you’re enjoying fest season and that your spring semester is going well. I recently started my semester classes, and I am learning a lot already. My classes and my schedule are different at Universidad de Belgrano than they were at Ohio University.

Unlike OU, where you have classes in multiple buildings, Universidad de Belgrano is just one, tall building with 18 floors. It is a beautiful building with a library, cafeteria and café, but it is a big contrast to OU’s campus, in which you cross greens, buy a coffee and say ‘hi’ to groundhogs on your way to class.

Also, attendance is different at Universidad de Belgrano. Professors don’t take attendance, and there aren’t any TopHat apps to mark your attendance. Instead, you have to scan your student ID at machines on every floor that track your attendance.

My classes don’t start until 1 p.m., and I don’t have class Fridays. The schedule is designed for international students to have opportunities to travel on weekends, and I’m looking forward to going to Iguazú Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world and the largest waterfall system in the world, and hopefully Mendoza, a city famous for its wine. Obviously, I’m loving this new schedule, and I can’t wait to travel on weekends.

Another main difference, and definitely the most obvious, is that all my classes are entirely in Spanish. I thought that would be hard, but so far it’s not too difficult. The professors speak slowly and enunciate clearly, and if the entire class looks confused, the professor will rephrase with easier words.

All of my classes seem interesting and informative. I’m taking some different classes that I would never think about taking at OU. My Tango Danza class is proving to be difficult but fun. I’m usually a couple steps behind everyone else, and I remind myself of Liz Lemon in 30 Rock when she struggles to dance at a cardio hip-hop dance class.

I’m also taking an Argentine contemporary art class, which I find fascinating. I never found myself looking at a building and thinking how it uses the neoclassical style until now. Also, my Narratives of the Monstrous class has me thinking about different abnormalities and monsters in real life, and it is thought-provoking.

To be honest, I have no idea how some of these classes will transfer back to OU. A couple classes I had pre-approved at OU before coming to Argentina either were not offered at my university in Buenos Aires or conflicted with another class. My whole study abroad experience is teaching me to be more relaxed and carefree, which I definitely think I need. Part of me is terrified I won’t be able to graduate on time or will have to take summer classes, but I know it will all work out. I just need to drink a cappuccino and stop worrying. Studying abroad is the time to take offbeat, interesting classes. I’ve already learned a lot about Argentina, the culture and myself. It’s all worth it. 

Jessica Hill is a sophomore studying journalism and global studies. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Have you ever taken classes in Argentina? Contact Jessica at jh240314@ohio.edu or tweet her @jess_hillyeah.

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