Great semester in Santiago! Past Review
By A student (Neurobiology and Neurosciences., Johns Hopkins University) - abroad from 07/24/2014 to 12/06/2013 with
IES Abroad: Santiago - Study in Santiago
Had an incredible chance to be fully immersed in Chilean culture and Spanish language. Made new friends and experienced a different way of living. 100% worthwhile.
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. |
Academics were great, and I was satisfied with the quality of my classwork. Half star off because the assignments and professors weren't perfect (but neither are courses at top universities in the US). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Administrators and program director were helpful, welcoming, kind, responsible. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I had the best host family I could imagine! They were so welcoming and really made me feel like a member of the family for the time I was there. |
| * Food: |
Don't expect spicy food in Chile like you'd find in Mexico or Peru...This country is generally not known for its cuisine. However, there are good places to eat in Santiago, some yummy Chilean classic dishes, and my host family's cooking was great. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was very easy to immerse myself in Santiago and Chilean culture. Being in a host family really helped with this, as did taking all my courses in Spanish and studying at a local univerisity. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have any health issues abroad, but the Chilean healthcare system provides good care, and there is sufficient coverage via IES and your insurance. |
| * Safety: |
Our host familys' neighborhoods are safe, but Santiago is a big city and it pays to have common sense. Keep your bags in front of you on the metro, don't walk around alone in unlit areas, 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) |
Food was paid for, since my host family cooked my meals (this was part of the study abroad program tuition). If you did want to cook your meals, it would not be cheap (comparable prices to US east coast cities). Otherwise, transportation was the biggest cost. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $25 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you're staying in Santiago for a whole year, try to get a student Bip card for the metro/busses (and start the process early). |
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? | Advanced |
| 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? | advanced spanish II |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Make friends with Chileans. Talk to your host family a lot. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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 knew that the other students in the program were going to be awesome and I shouldn't worry about making friends. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
