Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Learning about Yourself and Others while Abroad in Chile Past Review

By (Skidmore College) - abroad from 02/17/2017 to 07/08/2017 with

IFSA: Valparaiso - Chilean Universities Program, Valparaiso

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about embracing and experiencing different cultures and peoples. I met a lot of different and new people and formed lifelong connections. I also improved my Spanish skills and experienced a different perspective of Spanish by taking biology courses at PUCV. This was an incredibly worthwhile experience and I would absolutely do it again.

Review Photos

IFSA-Butler: Valparaiso - Chilean Universities Program, Valparaiso Photo IFSA-Butler: Valparaiso - Chilean Universities Program, Valparaiso Photo IFSA-Butler: Valparaiso - Chilean Universities Program, Valparaiso Photo IFSA-Butler: Valparaiso - Chilean Universities Program, Valparaiso Photo IFSA-Butler: Valparaiso - Chilean Universities Program, Valparaiso Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The courses I took while abroad were all interesting, engaging, and challenging. However there wasn't a lot of student professor interaction and the academic system in general was a little disjointed and unorganized.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The IFSA-Butler staff in Chile was warm, friendly, and helpful. However, there was a lot of unnecessary and often unwanted hand-holding and guidance given.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved my host family and got along amazingly well with my Chilean mom and siblings. The house was also conveniently located to public transit and had a beautiful view.

* Food:

Overall the food was good but as a vegetarian it was sometimes hard to find options and the food sometimes got boring and repetitive.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very connected and integrated into Chilean culture through my host family, courses with Chileans, and traveling both on my own and with IFSA-Butler programs.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not require any health care while abroad but it was clearly available and accessible.

* Safety:

Overall I felt very safe and was comfortable traveling alone and walking late at night. But there were some concerns about pick-pocketing and other petty theft.

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

I liked the home-stay through IFSA-Butler and also enjoyed the freedom that there was for choosing courses and for traveling.

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 with a host family took out a lot of spending that I would have otherwise have to worry about such as housing and food so most of my money was spent on traveling.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? When at home I probably spent about $10 per week on transportation. When traveling I probably spent about $100 per week.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I would recommend bringing food with you if you are eating lunch at the university and when traveling to lower expenses on eating.

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 level college courses
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
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?
  • Host family
  • Traveling
  • Courses with Chileans
* What could be improved?
  • The orientation could be shorter and less classroom based.
  • There could be less monitoring and planned guidance.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known more about the academics and college system in Chile.

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!