An incredible, unforgettable experience Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

We took classes at Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso and la Santa Maria. We were allowed to take almost anything. All of my classes were in Spanish. I took 2 through my program (Spanish and History), one through the university for all international students, and 2 with Chileans. Since none of my teachers spoke English, the main difficulties were language barriers. If those classes had been in English, they would have been much easier than what I'm used to, but the language provided the challenge. That said, I still learned a lot, and professors were very understanding of my somewhat more limited abilities, always available by email and very helpful.

On-site administration of your program

The staff are AMAZING. Mark and Pame have offices in the International Programs wing of the Catolica, and are almost always available. They're incredibly helpful, emailing us frequently and always checking up on us to see how classes were, tutoring/ help hours were offered, they were phenomenal.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I had a lovely host family (Mom and college aged daughter) who made me feel right at home. I felt like they genuinely cared, and had an adorable apartment in a perfect location in the center of Valpo.

To be honest, Chilean food is kind of hit and miss. A lot of it is soupier stuff because they tend not to use their ovens. There's not too much flavor in a lot, but they do have some amazing dishes. Bread is a huge thing here. So much bread. Breakfast was usually small, lunch was the big meal of the day, then a tea time in the evening (dinner is rare). The sweets were delightful, and I loved how available fresh fruits and veggies were, especially the avocado.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Though I felt at home, being a different race made me stand out significantly, and so I struggled with being constantly treated like a tourist even when I felt like a local. For the most part the people were kind and genuine, and Valpo is much different than Vina, which at times felt like the US. But the festivals and art and markets were incredible to go to. I also didn't spend much time out in the city, like afternoons, with Chileans. Most of my friends were girls from my program, and we were a tight knit bunch, but having Chileans to explore the city with would probably have changed the integration experience.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any major health concerns, but the girls in my program who did spoke to our directors and were sent to English speaking doctors, then usually reimbursed by the program insurance. I got a typhoid vaccine but didn't need it, no other major health concerns.. Dayquil and Nyquil aren't available there, but most everything else was, and home remedies are incredibly common.

One thing to keep in mind is that it is a city, and I was obviously not a local. Pickpocketing is an issue, but fanny packs and caution can solve that, just be careful at night, taxis are available, and colectivos are better. Gold jewelry is especially sought after, so it's best not to bring any of that at all, even not so valuable necklaces can get ripped off your neck. I never felt really unsafe, but it's best to not be by yourself, same rules of every big city. Cat calling happens, but you learn to ignore it.

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

Since all my meals were included in the program costs, I basically just had to pay for transportation and travel, and any extra things that came up. I could usually walk to school, so that cut down costs, but a bus ride could be up to $1.00.

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

We were encouraged to speak Spanish all the time.

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• Host Family
• Apartment

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• Host Family

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Excursions
• Staff
• Focus on culture

• More events with Chileans