Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Incredible Past Review

By (Hispanic Literatures and Cultures, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill) - abroad from 02/24/2015 to 07/03/2015 with

IES Abroad: Santiago - Study in Santiago

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Being the only student from my university on this program, I was incredibly nervous going into the experience. However, the decision to study abroad with the Santiago program was the best decision I made. My program included 21 students from various universities across the nation, allowing me to meet people I would not have met otherwise. They were all welcoming and kind and created a wonderful foundation for me throughout the semester. The professors and program director at IES: Santiago were wonderful. They were willing to listen and help solve any problems that came up. I learned a lot during the semester and my Spanish improved greatly. Between the new experiences in a foreign country and travelling, I was kept busy and involved. After returning to the US, I would not trade this study abroad experience for anything.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

They were well equipped to handle any problems and very welcoming.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

There were slight conflicts between food and lack of contact. They did not try very hard to integrate me into their family and overall I felt like an outsider.

* Food:

* 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)

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

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

  • Americans
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?
  • The other students
  • Travelling
  • Spanish
* What could be improved?
  • Integration with host family
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had started the program with a readiness to speak Spanish. Because I didn't feel confident in my language abilities in the beginning, I was very timid in speaking in the language which probably hindered how much I could have improved. Although I became more confident later, I wish I had started with the same attitude and just spoken -mistakes and all.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.