Valparaíso, Chile: Experience of a Lifetime Past Review
By Rochelle M (Environmental Studies, Tulane University) for
CIEE: Valparaiso - Liberal Arts
Best time of my life, hands down. I have to go back! I'm hoping to find some kind of work there so that I can return someday.
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. |
The workload was not too difficult and the grading system is between 1-7, so it can be kind of confusing, but CIEE does a good job explaining it's conversion. I was much more relaxed with my studies there than in the US, and I highly recommend taking a class like Deportes de montaña (backpacking course) because when else will you get to backpacking through Chile? |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Very organized and work to provide a wonderful experience. Great excursions and mini-trips, fun activities. Sometimes too much english exposure, but that opinion is relative. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
The food is much more bland than in the US, especially if you like spicy food, so bringing some hot sauce or some chili powder isn't a bad idea. Also, things like peanut butter are not popular at all there, so that's another suggestion. If you like empanadas and mayonaise covered hotdogs (not my thing, but a lot of people liked it), Chile is the place for you. They also have incredible icecream. Cerro Alegre in Valpo has very cute, extremely tasty restaurants. It's a really fun area too, so I highly recommend checking those places out. Also, if you're a vegetarian, there's a great restaurant on Cerro Alegre called EPIF .. go there! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
you get to travel to the countryside to a beautiful farm and orchard. You travel to Pucón in the south which is one of the most breathtaking places I have been. They take you to Santiago to view the museums and other fun and interesting places. Also, they plan weekly or bi-weekly outdoor excursions, like repelling, rock climbing, kayaking, hiking, and other incredible activities. T |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I usually felt very safe, especially in my area, however, like in any city, just be very precautious. don't walk around alone at night, and if you must make sure you're on a well-lit and busy road. Also, pickpockets aren't uncommon, so be aware of your zippers and things that are in your pockets and make sure you know where your valuables are. Also, wearing gold necklaces and and jewelry that appears to be gold and flashy isn't suggested. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $10-$20 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Large bills are most commonly dispensed from the ATM machines and are hard to get change for, and public transportation (the bus system) only takes change, so try to get small bills. This can be done at supermarkets. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 3000 |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Live with a host family, work to meet locals and native speakers. Speak spanish majority of the day every day. Try to speak in spanish as much as possible, but it is nice to have some English speaking friends when an "english break" is needed. |
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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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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