Education in Chile: Enriching, Challenging, Positive Experience Past Review
By Sarah B (Sociology, Rice University) - abroad from 02/26/2019 to 06/10/2019 with
SIT Study Abroad: Chile - Comparative Education and Social Change
Personally, I learned independence, self-advocacy, and the importance of reflection. Academically, I learned more about my passion for educational equity and improved my Spanish skills. It was extremely worthwhile!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
This program is definitely more academic rigorous than other study abroad programs, but it was still relatively manageable compared to my normal workload at university -- readings and assignments were aimed at contextualizing lectures and preparing us to do independent research at the end, and the free time we had was used for exploring the city and building relationships with others on the program and our host family. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff was so supportive -- they really do a lot to make sure you don't go through this experience alone and don't have to deal with difficult health, visa, etc. issues without help. They were not always the most communicative about logistic details of our program, but they were quick to support us and fill any needs we had. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The homestay experience was incredible. It facilitated cultural and linguistic immersion while also helping me build a sense of home there. |
| * Food: |
My host mom cooked for me most meals, which was nice! I just wasn't the biggest fan of Chilean food, but I also had a lot of opportunities to discover other parts of their cuisine and other South American cuisine! I was always extremely well fed. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I commuted on the metro, met Chileans through my host family, and felt a part of city life. The classes also helped contextualize Chilean history and culture and this also aided in that process! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have any issues, but everyone in my program who had health issues were helped a lot by staff and were able to receive support from the program. |
| * Safety: |
I never felt super unsafe! The staff also prepared us really well for living in a big city, such as being aware of surroundings, traveling in groups, etc. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
The expenses were similar to that in the US, except that I was out and exploring more so spent a bit more money. |
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? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 3rd year, 2nd semester Spanish |
| 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? | Find a conversation partner, find a vocabulary learning app or website! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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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'd known that I would need to be intentional about developing relationships with local people and that the time goes by really fast so you need to take advantage of it! |
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 LinguistYou 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! |
