Where in South America should I spent my gap year?

Question

I will graduate high school this June and I plan on taking a gap year to volunteer and improve my Spanish speaking skills in South America. I'm looking for an area that has both a vibrant city, proximity to exquisite nature experiences, as well as to indigenous towns or villages. I'm looking for a region that is friendly and welcoming to foreigners and also has a "young" scene, since I'll be eighteen. Plus I'd prefer that the area be CHEAP, since I'll basically be broke for the next ten years of my life from college expenses..

I was thinking maybe Buenos Aires in Argentina or Quito Ecuador?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Id go to Cartagena, Colombia. Great night life. Beaches, Islas Rosario, No too far from a lot of national parks, Great people, friendly, hard to beat the walled city for romatic.

Answer 2

If I was you, I would say Argentina. Maybe not that big city as Buenos Aires where people are regarded as a little cold.

Beautiful girls, mostly european descent.

If you are looking for this Indigenous experience, I would say, somewhere in South Mexico, or Quito is a good place also.

Answer 3

Most people agree that colombians speak the best spanish if that's what you're looking for. There a lot of exchange programs for students in Colombia. Bogota would be a great choice for you since it is the capital and is multicultural. You'll find anything you're looking for and everything's cheap!

Try these websites:

1. http://www.yfu.org/co/index.html

2. http://www.infohub.com//scripts/html_cgi...

3. http://www.unisabana.edu.co/english_vers...

Answer 4

I'm peruvian.. Between Argentina and Ecuador I would definitedly say Argentina.. over there is really fun, and the spanish in Buenos Aires.. well they really have a pretty nice accent too! (even better than spanish from spain! ) ..the only little problem is that people may understand you but if you learn spanish from argentina you'll have some trouble understanding other people ( like you'll learn to conjugate the ¨vos¨person instead of the ¨tu¨or ¨usted¨that any other spanish country uses and that may end up confussing you if you want to understand others ) .. about Quito, dont know, is boring and there is not much to do over there ..  money shouldnt worry you so much really, is not so expensive.

Try picking up a province also, in Buenos Aires most of the people would feel like practicing english with you, but if you choose Bariloche or Mendoza or other place then you'll get more to get into the daily life and also be able to make true friends. GOOD LUCK WITH EVERYTHING! :)

Answer 5

I lives 4 years in Buenos Aires, 3 in Santiago and 5 in Lima and worked there as a teacher. During all those years, we had lots of gap students at our schools, mainly from UK and Australia. I know for a fact that the British embassy has a "Gap students policy" and liaise with British schools in Lima, Buenos Aires and Santiago and send students there., offering food and lodging.

You may contact your embassy at those cities and see if they offer something like that.

If you are planning to go to a cheaper place, try either Buenos Aires or Lima. Quito is an altitude city, it's great but it may not be that suitable for a young gap student (Guayaquil has more of a night life) Santiago is very expensive right now, you wont have enough money as a gap student.

I know of schools in both Lima ans Buenos Aires that pay Gap students to come to help, especially with the english language.

Answer 6

Santiago, Chile

Answer 7

Yes, Buenos Aires, Argentina!

see:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g3127...

http://www.ripioturismo.com.ar/ebueexc.h...

Answer 8

Ifv you want spend few money, you should think about go to La Paz in Bolivia Bolivia, but if you would like to visit a exciting place you should go to Machi Pucchu Cusco In Peru or Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, in last case you will not improve your spanish...

good vacacions

Answer 9

Bogota, Colombia.

No, no beaches - just a multi-cultural city, the athens of the Americas. - and its near Ecuador by plane.

Answer 10

Think Costa Rica.  It is cheap and safe. Also, there are tons of Spanish Schools. In Tamarindo, you can take surfing lessons in the morning, learn Spanish in the afternoon, and then voyage around a relatively small, eco-friendly country in the evenings or weekends. (or go have a margarita with your new friends)