Penn-in-Buenos Aires, Argentina

• Program Intro
• Events
• Calendar
• About Buenos Aires
• Course Information
• Housing
• Costs
• Travel Notes
• Contact
• APPLY

Program Introduction

Penn-in-Buenos Aires is designed for students interested in the language, history, literature and culture of Argentina and other Latin American countries. Presented in partnership with the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, Penn-in-Buenos Aires offers students the opportunity to expand their cross cultural views, fostering deeper cultural analysis and enhanced Spanish language skills while they explore the unique urban culture of this bustling and cosmopolitan metropolis. The internationally renowned Universidad Torcuato Di Tella is Argentina’s first private university and one of the best in Latin America. To maximize this distinctive cultural experience, students live with Argentine families to enhance their linguistic and acculturation skills.

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Upcoming Events

Information Session

Join us at the following session to learn more. Click on the date for details. 

• Thursday, November 19, 2009. 3:00 p.m.

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About Buenos Aires

Known for its tango, soccer and European-style architecture, no Latin American city has a more cosmopolitan tradition than Buenos Aires. Designed in the late nineteenth century as the "Paris of Latin America,” contemporary Buenos Aires is a perfect case study of the new social, economic and cultural challenges facing Latin America and the world in the twenty-first century. The city’s fiscal and cultural resilience were tested during the 2001 economic downturn and the demise of old economic and social models, but the subsequent revival of its vitality is evident in its booming film and fashion industries; diverse neighborhoods and tango bars; 24-hour bookstores and art galleries, on every busy corner of Downtown Buenos Aires.

Argentina offers a distinct variety of regional cultures and geographical settings, from the subtropical forests and the guaraní cultural substrata of the Northwest, to the high plateau of the aymará and Inca culture in the North, from the gaucho culture of pampas of the East, to the rocky plains of Patagonia with a population of welsh, Irish and Scottish immigrants in the South. To give students an awareness of the cultural and geographical differences of the country, every year the program offers a three day trip to one of these regions.

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Course Information

Students register for a total of 2 course units (CU). Course preferences are made on the application and are subject to approval by the program director. Course registration is completed by the Penn Summer Abroad office for students who confirm their intent to enroll in the program and submit required pre-departure documents.

Note for Visiting Students: One CU is generally considered to be equivalent to three semester hours when Penn coursework is transferred to another institution.

Courses:

Spanish 134: Accelerated Intermediate Spanish
Prerequisite: Spanish 120 or Spanish 112.
Taught by Jorge Salessi, University of Pennsylvania 

Spanish 134 combines the two semesters of second-year Spanish at Penn. Taking advantage of the program’s cultural and linguistic immersion, this course fosters speaking, listening, reading and writing skills by providing instruction in a lively and motivating cultural context. A variety of communicative and analytical teaching methods are implemented in the classroom. Students learn to use Spanish in increasingly complex ways, in class as well as in real life. (2 CUs)

Spanish 224: Argentine Literature in a Cultural Context
Fulfills General Education Requirement: Cross-cultural Analysis
Prerequisite: Two semesters of Spanish beyond 140. Exceptions made only for students fully functional in Spanish.
Taught by Diego Peller, Universidad Torcuato Di Tella

Spanish 224 is a survey of major works of contemporary Argentine literature relating to the political, social and cultural developments that have defined the modern profile of the country. The course focuses on the way literary works reflect the tensions of Argentine modernity; the conflicts between the interests of Buenos Aires and those of the provinces, between agricultural and industrial groups, neoliberalism and protectionism, ecology and sustainable development. Taught in Spanish. (1 CU)

Spanish 229: History of Argentina Fulfills General Education Requirement: Cross-cultural Analysis Prerequisite: two semesters of Spanish beyond 140. Exceptions can only be made for students fully functional in Spanish.
Taught by Ernesto Cussianovich, Universidad Torcuato Di Tella 

While focusing on economic, political and social developments, the class will explore the tensions and paradoxes of Argentina from the XIX Century
to the present: the wars of independence and the lengthy conflict for dominance between centralist and federalist interests; the emergence of the modern nation and its integration to the world economy after 1880; immigration, the “alluvial society”, the effects of rapid cultural modernization and the dramatic years of Juan and Eva Peron; military dictatorships and the neoliberal democracy at the end of the XX century; the XXI century, economic default, recuperation, and the challenges of the Argentine cultural and economic integration to Latin America, the A.L.C.A., MERCOSUR, and A.L.B.A. Taught in Spanish. (1 CU)

Excursions

Included in the program is a three day trip to the Quebrada de Humahuaca, on the northern border between Argentina and Bolivia. Declared Natural Patrimony of the Humanity by the UNESCO in 2003, the Quebrada de Humahuaca is a narrow valley that follows the line of a major cultural route, the Camino Inca, along the spectacular valley of the Rio Grande, from its source in the cold high desert plateau of the High Andean lands to its confluence with the Rio Leon some 150 km to the south. This valley, dotted with quaint towns rich in history, shows ample evidence of its use as a major trade route over the past 10,000 years. It features visible traces of prehistoric hunter-gatherer communities, of the Inca Empire (15th to 16th centuries), of the fight for independence (19th and 20th centuries), and of the vibrant indigenous Aymara culture of today.

The program also offers different cultural activities in Buenos Aires. Fixed features of the program are a night at the Teatro Colón, a national monument with a world class program of international opera, and a visit to a tango academy. Thus students are introduced to a very idiosyncratic mesh of Argentina’s “high” and “low” cultural production. An addition, a visit to the Exposición Rural, gives them a good insight into Argentina’s very important food industry and production.

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Housing

Students live with Argentine families in order to experience full linguistic and cultural immersion. Housing is prearranged through a local coordinator and all students will be asked to complete a host family accommodation form to list any special dietary needs or allergies. Weekday breakfast and dinner are provided by the family.

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Costs

Note: All tuition charges and fees are subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees and may change without notice.

Tuition: $5,866 (2009 rate)
$2,933 per course unit (CU). Students are required to enroll for two CU.

Program Fee: $2,375 (2009 rate)
Includes airport pickup (arrival only), home stay with weekday breakfasts and dinners; local health insurance, cultural activities organized by the program in Buenos Aires, travel and accommodation on 3-day group excursion. 

The tuition and program fee are billed to the student’s Penn account according to the Summer Sessions billing schedule.

Other Expenses: Students are responsible for other direct expenses including:  

• roundtrip air ticket to Buenos Aires
• course materials
• meals not eaten with host family
• local transportation (most students take the bus to class)
• personal expenses and entertainment.

William A. Levi Travel Fellowship

Financial Aid
Penn Summer Abroad programs may be supported by financial aid. Penn Students seeking financial aid for a program abroad should contact Student Financial Services (www.sfs.upenn.edu) and complete the undergraduate student financial application for the summer term. Visiting students apply for financial aid from their home institution.

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Travel Notes

Passport: Make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months beyond the end date of the program. If you do not already have a passport or need to renew it, you should begin the process immediately. Passport application forms and instructions can be obtained at the U.S. Post Office or at http://travel.state.gov/.

Visa: Argentina does not require an entry visa for U.S. Citizens for visits of up to 90 days. Citizens from other countries should confirm with the Embassy of Argentina whether or not a visa is required. If so, you will need to apply several months in advance. Contact the Penn Summer Abroad office for assistance in obtaining required documents for the visa.

Air Tickets: Penn Summer Abroad does not organize travel overseas. Start researching flights early. There are many possibilities and a large variation in prices. You will receive the list of all students in your program. Contact the ones who are likely to travel from the same airport. You may be able to travel together.

Immunizations: Make sure you receive all appropriate inoculations. Consult with your physician and/or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, which provides information on vaccines and immunizations for travel abroad. http://www.cdc.gov/.

Additional information will be provided in the acceptance packet and in pre-departure orientations that will take place in the spring.

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 Contact Information

Program Director
for details about the program, courses, or location including academic advising, travel dates, housing and orientation

Jorge Salessi (profile)
Associate Professor, Romance Languages
Director of Spanish Programs Abroad
University of Pennsylvania
E-mail: jsalessi@sas.upenn.edu
Tel: 215-573-0239

Penn Summer Abroad Office
for assistance with application, financial questions, pre-departure, or other general information

Penn Summer Abroad
College of Liberal & Professional Studies (LPS)
University of Pennsylvania
3440 Market Street, Suite 100
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3335
Tel: 215-573-7537
Fax: 215-573-2053
E-mail: summerabroad@sas.upenn.edu

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