Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A Challenging but Stellar Santiago Adventure Past Review

By (Economics, Wellesley College) - abroad from 03/03/2015 to 07/06/2015 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Santiago

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
A cultural learning experience that I can pull on in many different ways, new international friends that I will remain in touch with, a new perspective on learning, government and our economic system. I definitely think my experience was worthwhile and would highly recommend other students participate in the same program.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Jeff and his team were always involved and happy to help with any problem we had

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Host families were good ways to integrate into Chilean culture

* Food:

Food was provided through the program and was always good

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

For the most part I felt integrated, obviously certain physical characteristics kept me from completely integrating.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Friends in the program who needed health help were able to get the care they needed in a timely fashion

* Safety:

If you're smart chances of having a safety issue are low

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)

Transportation and food were not cheap

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 300

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

We were expected to use Spanish all the time and avoid English unless speaking to family back home

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? An intermediate course
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? Keep a running list of new words

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?
  • On-site staff
  • Support of other internships
  • Local buddy program
* What could be improved?
  • Host Family Selection
  • Tutoring help
  • Flexibility
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known how mentally exhausting jumping into a new culture would be, especially trying to master a new language a long the way. It's important to know before hand that assimilation does not happen overnight or even in a month. Some people will find it easier to assimilate than others and it's important to know each person will become comfortable in their new surroundings at their own pace/

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!