Chillin in Chile! Past Review

By (Business Administration, Ithaca College) - abroad from 02/27/2012 to 07/06/2012 with

IES Abroad: Santiago - Study in Santiago

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I'm now a more relaxed, easy-going person than I was before. It's amazing to look back and see how much less stress I feel now than I felt before.

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

The people in charge of student life, affairs, and academics are all wonderful, caring people and do their very best to make sure students are happy and healthy in their time abroad

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Doing a homestay was an amazing way to learn more of the culture and to practice more Spanish

* Food:

Chilean food, while ok, is very bland and doesn't have much variety. It would also not be considered a very healthy option by US standards.

* 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? Yes

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)

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? If you're traveling, take overnight busses. You'll save time to go see the sights, and save money on a bed at hostels!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the 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? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Spanish grammer and composition 301
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Friend base automatically through IES
* What could be improved?
  • More help with the local university
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Traveling alone is a lot of fun!