Challenging and Life Changing, but would do it again! January 28, 2024

By A student (IGS-Environmental Change, Middlebury College) - abroad from 07/25/2023 to 12/15/2024 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Santiago

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I learned to be more confident in social and professional settings in Spanish. I learned to navigate feelings of not fitting in and finding things that brought me joy despite feelings of frustration.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	PUC offers a diverse set of classes and most students should be able to find rigorous classes that fit into their major
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	helpful but at times difficult to navigate
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Very satisfied with my experience living with a host-family
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	It was difficult to adjust to local culture but it got better after the first 2 months
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	I felt very safe in the neighborhoods that I lived and studied at in Santiago
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget? (1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)	3
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Chile is an expensive country and as a student I spent a lot of money on public transportation to get to and from school, my internship etc. I would save money by bringing lunch to school and eating at home most days.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Advanced
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	300
How many hours per day did you use the language?	10+

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Host Family Nature Dance Class
* What could be improved?	Finding Avenues for students to make new friends More outings as a group
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I was aware of the cultural differences between Chile and other Latin American cultures. I expected to fit in easier because I also identified as latinx, however that was not the case.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.	The Outright Urbanite A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Andares Queer
Course Department:	Letras
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	The course was challenging and exposed me to works of literature and authors I had previously not been exposed to
Credit Transfer Issues:	unsure yet

Course Name/Rating:	Modelos de Desarrollos en Latinoamerica
Course Department:	Ciencia Politica
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	Spanis
Comments:	At times the class felt unorganized and therefore was difficult to follow
Credit Transfer Issues:	unsure