A day-to-day adventure! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Though the Chilean university grading system took a bit of getting used to, but the classes at the IES program center were fantastic. The professors also teach at local universities and are very supportive both academically and personally.

On-site administration of your program

The administration are very eager to help you in all aspects of your study abroad experience. They are thorough in keeping you safe, but also are a great resource in helping you find a community of your own. Personally, the administration helped me find a local Korean-Chilean church and it helped me immerse into the culture exponentially quickly.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I personally had a poor living arrangement. I have studied abroad before and thought I was prepared to adjust to another family. Things took a turn for the worse once I began to spend more time outside of the host-home with local friends and traveling plans. Food was not always provided as promised, but it made me that much more thankful of the friends I had made during my time here.

Chilean food is incredible. In Chilean culture, food is meant to be shared and meals are meant to be a communal experience. My personal favorites were the diverse use of avocado (even as a condiment!), red wine, asados (costillas), and sea bass (corvina).

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very much integrated at the end of my semester. I found a group of Chilean friends who I spent many weekends with. They would invite us to their homes and showed us parts of both Santiago and the nearby city of Valparaiso that I never would have stumbled upon on my own. Initially, it was difficult to become accustomed to the language barrier. However, with a little persistence and an eagerness to expand my own comfort zone, I gained much more cultural immersion during my time abroad.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Health issues were very well managed and thoroughly followed up by the administrative staff. I never experienced any major health issues abroad.

Santiago is a very safe city, and our homestay assignments were located in nice areas. With moderate vigilance and common sense, the most serious crime you will most likely experience is pick-pocketing. My greatest recommendation is not to speak English on public transportation. This often draws unwanted attention and can put yourself at risk of any potential incidents. Specifically for female students, I would advise that you travel with a buddy and to take a cab when in doubt. Much of the cat-calling will also cease if you are with a male.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Transportation was my greatest regular expense. Though it is cheaper than what I normally would pay in Chicago, buses, metros, and taxi fares do add up. There were definitely a wide range of budgets among students in our program, but personal expenses were very easy to reduce if needed be.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

I am very grateful of our Spanish-only policy within the classroom and the program facility.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• IES Staff
• Program trip to Chiloe

• Clinical Observations Class
• Subsidized Transportation Cards (can be attained with anticipation)

The Outright Urbanite