Valdivia: Let's Eat Some Choripan Past Review

By Jeff C (PPE, Western Washington University) for

Universidad Austral: Valdivia - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

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

While I had a great time in Chile, it was not the challenging experience that I had hoped for and to some extent expected. I ate a lot of good food, drank a lot of good beer, and made a lot of good friends, but if I were to do it again I would look for a program in Peru, Bolivia or Columbia. That's just my preference, though; for improving spanish language skills and otherwise having a nice relaxed time, Valdivia is the place to go.

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?	No

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
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?
Language acquisition improvement?