My homestay made this a wonderful experience Past Review
By Kyle Walden (The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 02/23/2016 to 07/08/2016 with
CIEE: Santiago - Liberal Arts
I loved my home-stay! I love my host-family dearly and they showed me so much grace and invited me to family functions, church events, and even pick-up soccer games. Unfortunately, not everyone had this experience, so this is something to consider.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
There are a lot of courses offered, so you can really tailor the rigor to your needs. However, these are legitimate university courses offered with Chilean students at universities. As such, it is very rigorous and there is a ton of reading and most classes lectures are highly recommended in order to learn the sufficient material for pruebas. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff is amazing—extremely welcoming and ready to help in any way. They are generally available by email and in person. Great team of people and they attend some of the excursions through the program, so they take that opportunity to get to meet the students. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my home-stay! I love my host-family dearly and they showed me so much grace and invited me to family functions, church events, and even pick-up soccer games. Also the food was good for Chilean food (which is generally bland) and the location in the city was safe and close to public transportation. Unfortunately, not everyone had this experience, so this is something to consider. |
| * Food: |
Chilean food is pretty good. Nothing to scream about, but it is solid. Lots of bread. Like, bread before, during and after meals. Also lots of avocado and tomatoes, which are INCREDIBLE during the summer and fall months. Lots of Lipton tea and Nescafe can be found at any home or cafe in the country. Oh, and try Mango or Pisco sours, those cocktails are really good. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Through my host family and also taking classes with Chileans, I felt well integrated into the local culture of Chile. However it does require personal initiative in order to make Chilean friends and find local gems. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any health issues, other than the usual digestive issues when adjusting to a new culture's food and water. So I didn't use any health services. |
| * Safety: |
I felt safe almost all of the time. However, there are certain areas of the city that people talk about that you should keep your hands in your pockets on your phone and wallet. Petty crime is HUGE in this city, just like in any city, although it is mostly prevalent at night and in touristy areas. If you go to Barrio Bellavista, it is a beautiful area, but always walk in pairs or groups because petty robberies have happened to my friends that left a bar alone. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
The CIEE tuition and fees budgets for housing and food for every meal basically. However, extra money is necessary for: public transportation (about $1 per ride; I averaged about $15 a week on metro and micro rides); taxis/uber (about $5-$10 per ride for me); food for snacks/meals/drinks. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $25 a week on transportation; $20 a week on food. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | There is a way to get a BIP card for students, which is 1/3 the price. It takes some looking around and a certain process, but it is possible. However, this escolar BIP card will only work for about 4 weeks at a time, but this can save you up to $100 in the end. Also, use Uber. It's everywhere in Santiago and very handy. Also, eat at home as much as possible since your tuition pays for 3 meals a day. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
It was encouraged by Spanish used in orientations and interviews as well as our tour guides for excursions used primarily Spanish. Although, there was no pressure to continue speaking in Spanish with other CIEE students, which would have been helpful. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | SPN 326C; a Grammar and Writing class |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Get a home stay. Make local friends/friends that speak Spanish. Living in the language in the areas you use language the most, like conversations and social gatherings, is the single best thing you can do. Daily conversations with my host mother and siblings then taking classes in Spanish improved my Spanish exponentially, more than watching TV or reading could (although these are still very valuable enriching experiences for gaining language) |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
