SIT Chile: Education and Social Change Review Past Review
By A student (Brandeis University) - abroad from 02/21/2017 to 06/05/2017 with
SIT Study Abroad: Chile - Comparative Education and Social Change
-Improved Spanish skills a phenomenal amount -Learned about Chilean and Argentinian dictatorships -Learned about Chilean and Argentinian education systems -Was able to intern and conduct my own research study with a feminist NGO
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Very academically rigorous, especially for a study abroad program. I found myself waking up early to finish presentations or papers. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Very high quality communication and supervision from staff in Chile. They helped arrange every little thing we could have had an issue with, and they even took us all together through immigration at the beginning of the program to confirm our visas. Many of us had very close relationships with the program staff by the end of our program. I would consider one of them my second host-mom. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Host families |
| * Food: |
The food is typical of the country, not of the program. It was not my favorite, but that is subjective. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt integrated in that I lived with host families, but the nature of the portions in an indigenous village and in Buenos Aires had us traveling a lot, making it challenging to build long-lasting relationships with Chilean peers. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
I would've liked a more independent program. This program was very well structured and a very good choice for those who want more help with their first time living abroad. As someone who has already lived abroad twice, I was hoping for more independence. |
Finances
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* 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $40 |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| 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? | 5th semester Spanish |
| 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? | Take a class beforehand to prepare |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I would have known how much programming SIT would have had. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
