Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Middlebury in Chile is Amazing Past Review

By (Wellesley College) - abroad from 07/28/2015 to 07/01/2016 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Concepcion

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Going abroad was definitely worthwhile! My Spanish speaking and writing skills have immensely and the whole experience helped me become more independent because even though the Middlebury staff are always there to help, I still ended up figuring out most things on my own.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes I chose were not as academically rigorous as those I would take at home and the Chilean academic system takes a little getting used to. Be prepared to get lower grades than you are used to getting in the U.S., especially at first.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The Middlebury team in Chile is amazing! Even though they are all based in Santiago and Valparaiso, they made visits to Concepción once a month to check on me and I always felt I could contact them at any time if I needed to.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

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? Intermediate
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? 200-level
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • Middlebury Staff in Chile
  • Classes with Chileans
  • Language Pledge
* What could be improved?
  • Housing Options in Concepción
  • The cost of the homestay with meals is not expensive compared to the U.S., but in Chile it could definitely be cheaper.
  • A little more support when signing up for classes for the first time might have been helpful because the system is a little complicated.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? To make friends, you have to talk. Even if you're embarrassed because you think your Spanish isn't good enough, talk to your classmates anyways. The truth is, most Chileans don't really care if you make grammatical errors when you're speaking and the only way your Spanish will improve is with practice, so don't be afraid to make mistakes. Also, the time goes by really fast, so make the most of it!