Rain, Bread and Backpacker's Paradise Past Review

By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 07/26/2017 to 07/13/2018 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Valdivia

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

The most important thing I gained from my time in Chile was the ability to communicate comfortably in Spanish. While there is an opportunity cost to staying a full year abroad, in the end it was during the second semester when I solidified my closest friendships and came to feel truly integrated in the university community.

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.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* 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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	It is hard to estimate a weekly spending amount because there were weeks where I spent almost nothing and others where while traveling I would spend much more on bus tickets, food etc. Living with a host family can be limiting financially because even when you are not at home you still have to pay your host family for food you are not eating. Middlebury students spend significantly more than other international students living in Valdivia on housing. While in other, larger cites I understand the importance of living with a host family, in Valdivia there is so much student life and housing that living with a host family seems almost unnecessary especially considering.

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?	320
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?	Start all of your relationships in Spanish, even with peers who may speak English very well, after a few months Spanish will become your default and even if you don't know exactly how to express yourself, finding a way around words you don't know will become automatic.

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?	The natural areas in and around Valdivia Communicating only in Spanish Learning to be independent in a totally new setting/culture.
* What could be improved?	My host family situation was not ideal and created a sense of isolation during my first semester. After moving in with other students, I felt much more integrated in the community and less lonely.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	That the semester starts out very slow but can get unexpectedly crazy near the end. Use the down time you have early on to travel.

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 Avid Adventurer The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Culture and Writing
Course Department:	Middlebury Class Abroad
Instructor:	Soledad Varela
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	Soledad was well prepared and very helpful. She was a key part of our integration in the local culture and made a great effort to help us not only improve our writing skills but see the region and feel at home in Valdivia.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No