I'm considering studying abroad in Madrid or Buenos Aires during my junior year of undergrad. My major in Spanish Langauge, and I can't decide whether to go for an academic year or a semester...anyone have any insight?

If you can swing it definitely do the year. The first 5-6 months spend getting adapted to your new environment and adjusting to the language. The second half of the year is when you really put into practice what you studied during the first few months.

I studied abroad my junior year in college and while a year seemed to be an awfully long time to be away (at the time), it was the best decision that I ever made. I saw some students returning to the States after 5-6 months regretting that they did not opt for the full year.

Definitely go for the year. When I was searching for a study abroad program, I only looked at one year programs and it was the best decision for me. By the end of the first semester, you are just starting to make good friends and feel like you belong. Not to mention that your Spanish will improve a lot with the extra time. My best advice: Find a Spanish lover and speak only Spanish!!

Go for a year!!! I went for a summer not really sure if it was for me, and left 3 months later knowing that I had to get back. Unfortunately it was too late to go for fall semester, and so I had to settle for the Spring semester. If I had planned ahead, and could do it again, I would have gone for a year. Id second the suggestion of a spanish boyfriend I dated a guy for a lot of my spring semester and i gotta admit, it was the best spanish class id ever had jaja

Other suggestions, for wherever you end up going:
I know youv probably heard it already but it cant be said enough : HANG OUT WITH SPANIRDS!!! Live with a host family or other spanish students. I chose to take classes at the Universidad de Granada with other spaniards instead of the typical study abroad route that puts you in classes with all americans. It was the best choice i could have made. Through living with a host family, and taking normal university classes, I was able to stay away from the American trap, really make some good spanish friends and really feel like i fit and lived the culture. Besides, my spanish improved so much more than i think it would have had I been always around americans and talking english.
Good Luck!
Kelly

Do think about studying in Buenos Aires. I was there for ten days last year and thought it was great - large, plenty to do and really friendly people. You should also find the cost of living in Argentina very low at the moment. If you take a year out, you could always do six months Spain and six months Argentina.

I would definitely say go for a year. Kelar is right it takes at least 5 to 6 months to acquire the language.I was in seville and there were people who were supposed to be there for only a semester and decided to stay there for a year.My language instructor said that it takes two years to be really good. One year will enable you to get very fluent though (12 months).Y ou will be amazed at how much your spanish will improve.

Just another dos centavos that are worth what you pay for them. I would definitely look for a one year program in Spain (and not just in Madrid)if you can. For thoughts on Buenos Aires, see below. These are generally geared to more than just perfecting your language skills and hopefully give you more credits towards your graduation. I did only a summer study abroad in the UK, so I did not have as much of a language adjustment (yeah...right!) as you would coming into a Spanish speaking program. Also I agree with several of the earlier posts, you will spend your first two or three months just getting familiar with how to live your life in a foreign evironment and then you'll be studying for your exams (do European students really study for their exams?). Much better to spread it out and be better able to take advantage of travel opportunities. I'm on my sixth overseas work assignment and am no longer able to take off on weekends to enjoy everything the country has to offer.

As far as studying in Buenos Aires, I was there 1996-1999 and things have changed due to the economic situation. I would be more inclined to go there for only one semester. Unlike Spain, BA is a loooooooong way from anything else in Argentina and South America. The closest place to visit outside the city is actually Uruguay because Mar del Plata doesn't count!! It is a very interesting city and country, but for me, Spain has more going for it for a university student. Besides would you really rather speak porteno? My Spanish teacher here continues to correct my vocabulary learned in Mexico and Argentina, but leave my polyglot pronunciation alone.

Good luck y mucha suerte!

Hi-
I would go for the year. I just was in Madrid this past fall for the semester, and while it seemed like a long time to be away from home it FLEW by. When Decemeber rolled around I was just becoming comfortable with Madrid and my own level of Spanish, and was starting to progress rapidly.
The only problem with going for a year is that all of your close friends that you have been bonding with leave. You then have to meet new americans who do not have your love of spain yet! I havent spoken with my friends that stayed behind in awhile..but they survived the new kids haha...if I could do it all over again, I would stay they year. Yes I would have missed an entire year at my college, but its worth it!!!!!!

Don't go for six months, don't go for a year, go permanently. If you need to change schools, there are good independent study colleges. I switched from a Cal. school to Vermont College and finished my Bachelor's degree in three semesters while living here in Spain. It was less expensive to boot.

As a spanish guy with an argentinian girlfriend, I couldn't recommend one country above the other...

...but, seriously, if you want to learn and study a more accurate pronunciation and vocabulary, you better spend the year in Spain. I don't mean that the argentinians don't speak a nice castillian! (and they speak with a nice accent) but their pronunciation, vocabulary and accent are very influenced by the italian presence in the country.

Spanish is just one language, but it changes noticeably from one country to another. Of course, every national variations of spanish are all right to me (some of them are very beautiful), but, historically, the classic spanish is better preserved in Spain (specially Castilla, and parts of northern Spain. Even in Valencia city the pronunciation is very "classic" or "standard", but usually not in the sorrounding valencian-speaking pueblos.

In latin-american countries, for example (as in parts of Andalucia) the "z-" and "ce", "ci" are pronounced as an "s-". The original pronunciation remains only in Spain. In Argentina, they also make sound the spanish consonantic "y-" and "ll-" as a kind of "shh-" (and, you know, that's beautiful), although they study the original pronunciation at school.

In Argentina (and Uruguay) there also remains a deformed ancient use: they speak using "vos" instead "usted" or "tú".

In past centuries, one person could speak to other using a respectful second person plural (like "vos habláis muy bien" instead "tú hablas muy bien"; and "vos parecéis cansado" instead "tú pareces cansado"). In argentina it remained as "vos hablás muy bien", "vos parecés cansado", etc. This form is not in use in Spain, Mexico, Cuba, and the most spanish speaking countries.

Of course, in Argentina you will study a standard spanish, but the differences between the standard language and the everyday people language are much more in Argentina that in Spain.

And now, I've got to leave running.. my girlfriend will want to kill me!