<p>(Really wish there was a study abroad forum to make this easier)
Anyway, does anyone have any information on the following study abroad programs or universities in Latin American countries:
Argentina: Univ Cat</p>
<p>My son spent a semester in Quito at Universidad de San Francisco. He had researched study abroad programs and sites in S. America, felt Quito was the best. I visited, and certainly was impressed with Quito, as well as what I saw of the rest of Ecuador. The people were friendly, fun, very engaging. Many universities have abroad programs at that university, in a rather upper middle class suburb, so a ride on public transport. He was in a home stay in Quito itself. Instruction was in what he said was a rather simplified Spanish. I remember him loving the class in volcanology, which involved climbing one of the volcanoes outside Quito with the instructor. </p>
<p>Some friends of his were at a University in Santiago, and did not have nearly so good a time. They felt the population was less friendly, and had a rather rough time finding places to live and registering for classes in Spanish without assistance. Sorry, don't remember which one.</p>
<p>My sister studied at La Universidad de las Americas in Puebla and loved her experience. It was primarily a language program, and the classes were not mixed with local students. I have visited, and Puebla is a beautiful and prosperous city. I'm not sure about the school you're talking about, but her school is known for being where well-off Mexican children go--in other words, it's kind of "preppy" but in a Mexican sense. :) She and her friends had a lot of fun in the city.</p>
<p>I have also spent time Oaxaca. It's a wonderful part of Mexico. You'd want to make sure that the social issues that erupted a year ago are now calmed. Oaxaca has a great and active city square. It's a destination for a lot of Mexican tourists. There are several study abroad programs in Oaxaca (a number in Puebla as well), so there may be opportunities to meet other study abroad students.</p>
<p>I can vouch for Quito, Ecuador as being a nice, generally safe place to live. I don't know anything about that university (most foreigners back in my college years tended to study Spanish at La Universidad Catolica), but Quito will offer you some very nice tourism possibilities such as the Galapagos Islands, the Amazon rainforest, mountain climbing in the Andes, beautiful lakes and hot springs, artesan villages, and even the beach if you don't mind a long trip.</p>
<p>My DD was in Santiago for 5 months through an IES program. Stayed at a wonderful homestay, and took most of her classes at the Universidad Catolica de Chile or something like that. She also took one or two classes through the IES program in langauge stylistics. She found Santiago a wonderful, welcoming and very diverse place.</p>
<p>D is in Santiago with the CIEE program through her college (July to December). She's studying at both the Universidad de Chile and Pontificia Catolica. She also just began an internship with a nonprofit there. Her host family, located in the center of Santiago, is wonderful.</p>