Chile Study abroad and Volunteer abroad, I gained a family and a new outlook on life! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The grading system in Chile is based on a 1.0-7.0 scale. So it is weird to get used to at first when you get a paper back that says "6.5" at the top. The teachers are laid back about foreign students who want to miss class to travel because they understand that you are not ONLY there to take classes. Most of my professors went out of their way to make sure I got all of the work in advance when I traveled for a weekend. We were allowed to call our professors by their first names, but that probably depends on the professor. The courses we took were mostly taught through an emphasis on conversation, but we were enrolled in courses that were for foreign students only. There were also different levels of classes. I was in the advanced classes, but there were also beginner and intermediate, so a fit for everyone!

On-site administration of your program

The staff in Chile was amazing. I think they have since moved their office, but they were located in a house basically across the street from the university. It was a good place to hang out with other program kids, get your mail, practice spanish, use wifi, go on trips...basically anything and everything. They even had student type workers, who were Chileans our age.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The "other" for housing was a "pension". It is kind of like a boarding house, where there is still at least one Chilean resident, usually a mom that helps with meals etc. I lived with a family. I was their first student, and I know they have had more since. This was the best decision of my experience. It gave me maximum Spanish practice, exposure to cultural elements, and really feeling like I had a family in Chile. My neighborhood was a little off the beaten path. I lived in Vina, and school was in Valparaiso. So I had to take the train or bus to school, about a 10-15 minute ride. I felt very safe in my neighborhood, but it wasn't advised to go out really late alone. Also, most of the nightlife was in Valpo. I actually liked living away from things, it caused me to spend more time with my host family.

I ate most of my meals at home, and my family was very nice and prepared me a little sack lunch everyday. So we really didn't eat out a lot. We did have seafood pizza once, and it was amazing! We had bread/fruit for breakfast, then lunch was more like dinner we always had soup, a main course, salad, and dessert. Dinner was called "once" and it is more of like a tea time. They do like to fry things and salt things. I would definitely try the pastel de papas, one of my favorite dishes. In general Chilean food is not heavily seasoned, and it is very fresh! We would take multiple weekend trips to open air markets for produce!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The program allowed us options to experience artisan work. I learned how to make glass fusion products, as well as stamped leather from local artisans. We also had excursions to local beaches, Santiago, we even organized a trip to a soccer game in Santiago! Some of my best times were spent with my host family. I often went on day trips with them on the weekends. They taught me how to knit, always took me to family functions, and took me on extra day trips that were not offered through the program!

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I felt safe in the host cities, but I wouldn't advise going out by yourself at night. Pickpocketing is a common happening, keep your purse in front of you and don't put things in your back pockets etc. I did not get sick while I was in Chile, so I don't have much input on that. I did not need any specific vaccinations, but I think there were some suggested ones that I opted not to get.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

My experience absolutely increased my language acquisition. One thing about Chile is that they have their own very unique "slang" system, so in order to understand people on the street I would suggest picking up a book of Chilean "Modismos" so that you can familiarize yourself with some of the more popular ones. I lived with a family that only spoke Spanish, so I practiced my Spanish with them A LOT. Some families did speak English, but I didn't want that. My classes were taught entirely in Spanish. A fair amount of the university students spoke English. Especially the students in our English/Spanish exchange. We would meet outside of school and they would be our "tour guides". Half of the time we would practice their English, and the other half we would practice our Spanish!

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