Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Perdida 3 veces= Life experiences Past Review

By (Wellesley College) - abroad from 07/17/2017 to 12/09/2017 with

CIEE: Valparaiso - Liberal Arts

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that I could really get around by myself. I also learned that relying on others does not mean you are incompetent. Sometimes you need a little help.

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.

The program was not academically rigorous or intense in any way. There were challenges along the way, but nothing to get overly stressed about. The people at the CIEE office in Valparaiso were absolutely great resources, and whenever I had questions or concerns they were very helpful. PUCV and their PIIE program were also very helpful tools.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The CIEE Valparaiso on-site administration was absolutely wonderful. They were incredibly helpful, whether in terms complications that raised due to my classes, my host family or my overall travel experience in Chile.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was very satisfied with my living arrangements. My host family and I were a great fit.

* Food:

Food in Chile is very good and cheap. Empanadas can literally be bought on almost every street in Valparaiso and are between 850-1200 pesos depending on which one you buy. My only complaint about Chilean food was that there wasn't a lot of spice, but that's a personal preference.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt as integrated as I could be in Chile as an outsider. As a foreigner you are welcomed but always considered a tourist. My program did a very good job of teaching us about the local culture, slang etc. so that we wouldn't be too lost.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

While in Chile I caught a very bad cold and laid in bed for about two days because I had terrible sinus pressure due to the elevation. There are pharmacies on every corner of Valparaiso. While you can buy medicine at supermarkets in the U.S., supermarkets don't sell over the counter medication in Chile. All you have to do is go to the pharmacy, tell the person on the other side of the counter what you need and they will get it for you. For certain things you obviously would need a prescription, but it is relatively easy to heal from a cold in Chile. There were no prevalent health issues in Chile and I did not need any additional vaccines before I arrived.

* Safety:

I had a very safe stay in Valparaiso. I had friends who ran into trouble, but as long as you listen to the advice the administrators of the program give you, everything will be fine. The advice I would give future study abroad students studying in Valparaiso is: 1. Do not go to Barrio Puerto alone in the day and don't go at all at night. 2. Depending on the Cerro (neighbourhood), do not walk up it alone. 3. If going to Subida Ecuador at night, make sure you go with someone else. 4. It is not recommended to go to the highest points of the cerros, but if you want to go because you are curious like I was, do it during the day and make sure you know how to get down the cerro and back to the plano. 5. Listent to your host parents! If they tell you not to go up a specific stairway at night or to not use your iPhone when you're walking by yourself at night, listen to them.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I had so much fun on my program with the people I met. I felt very supported, as well.

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)

Living in Valparaiso and traveling around was relatively cheap. Because my host family provided my meals, food was not something I needed to worry about. Traveling can get expensive, especially when you leave the country, but traveling within Chile is very reasonably priced.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? On most weeks I would spend between $10-20 dollars.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Just keep in mind that every time you withdraw money from the ATM, you will be charged an additional 5000/6000 pesos (which is around $8-9) because your card is a foreign card. That additional cost can come back to haunt you you're not careful.

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

You couldn't really survive if you refused to use the language. If you wanted to talked to your host family or most of the administrators, you had to speak in Spanish, because they don't speak English.

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? At Wellesley, I took Spanish 241, which I consider to be an intermediate Spanish class.
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Even if you feel your Spanish is lacking or you are embarrassed to speak Spanish, get over yourself and speak it. There is no other way to improve your Spanish unless you try your best to speak it with every opportunity you are given.

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
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The trips
  • The history and geography class they offered
  • The fact that I was encouraged by my program and my host family to explore as much as I possibly could
* What could be improved?
  • PUCV professors need to be more responsible, answer emails and notify students when classes are canceled.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how to better prioritise my money.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!