Not what I expected, but a great experience all the same! Past Review
By Grace K (International Affairs, University of Maine - Orono) - abroad from 03/09/2015 to 07/03/2015 with
Universidad de Chile/ University of Chile: Santiago - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
All in all, my experience was very worthwhile. I had a great time, met wonderful people, and my Spanish really improved. I love Chile. But, my time was not without difficulties. The students in my university were striking for education reform for about 2 months, at the end of the semester. Classes were cancelled. It was stressful because I didn't know what was going on, and also, I really enjoyed my classes and being with my friends at the U. I would really recommend study abroad in Chile, but not at the University of Chile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes I took for my major were very challenging, added to the fact they were all in Spanish. The classes in the Anthropology Department were very good quality. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The adviser at my host university answered questions before my arrival, but once I began classes, she never answered my emails. The only way to settle doubts was to visit the office. There was a big lack of coordination between the Office of Student Mobility (study abroad) and the individual faculties, especially during the student strikes. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in a student residence not associated with the university. It was affordable, quality student living. The social life in the residence was a huge part of my experience. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
At my university, I knew very few other exchange students, so it was pure immersion in the Chilean university. At the residence there were a mixture of both foreigners and Chilean students, which was nice. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never had an experience with health care, but friends had mixed reviews of the health care. |
| * Safety: |
I always felt very safe in Santiago. Some friends were pick-pocketed. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
Santiago is approximately as expensive as the US. My student budget was sufficient for living and personal expenses, but did not allow me to do as much traveling as I had hoped. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Approximately $100 per week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't eat out a lot. Take out a large sum of money from the ATM at a time, and set aside a portion for each week--ATM fees are hefty. Buy bus tickets ahead of time. |
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 |
All of my classes were in a foreign 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? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 490 |
| 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? | Make friends with locals. Insist they don't talk to you in English. Read, watch TV, listen to music in the language. TALK! |
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 had known the strikes would last as long as they did. If I had, I would have traveled during some of the time that classes were cancelled. |
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! |
