El Desafío Perfecto Past Review
By Jessica Barnett (Saint Michael's College) - abroad from 07/26/2016 to 12/10/2016 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Santiago
I learned both about myself and about Chilean culture. I experienced city life for the first time and figured out how to manuever in a place where I was the minority. I learned how kind and selfless people are, how important it is to ask for help and gained a sense of humility. I also gained perspective on the value of another culture. In all, the experience was completely worthwhile
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The academic rigor was perfect for the study abroad experience. It was challenging but reasonable. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is because the university I attended was fairly disorganized and was difficult to manage certain aspects of the educational experience for that reason. Overall though, a wonderful experience. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The director and team of Middlebury School Abroad in Chile are amazing. They were very attentive and checked in with students regularly. I knew I could always go to them for help and would be supported. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family are some of the kindest people I have met. They were very accommodating to my more independent lifestyle but I also found it easy enough to feel as though I was a part of their family. |
| * Food: |
There was not much diversity in the food offered, but I understand this was a cultural element that I needed to adjust to. It was very nice having the host family cover 3 meals per day though because it was one less stressor for me to be worried about. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Getting involved was intimidating at first but the best decision I made when I was abroad. Fellow students and my host family allowed me to integrate into the culture easily and I feel very fortunate for how immersed I was. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had a very positive experience with the healthcare system due to the help I received from the program. I reached out to the program director when I was concerned about the intense cold I had had for three weeks. He found a reputable doctor within a week, scheduled me an appointment and accompanied me to the appointment. Turns out that I had bronchitis but after antibiotics I was better in a week. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in Viña del Mar, although pick-pocketing is an issue there. My phone was stolen in my last two weeks there so I would advise any students to be very careful, even after they start to feel comfortable where they are living. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I felt that the Middlebury Program included everything I wanted and helped me to reach my potential. I was able to be very independent but also had support when I needed it. The program's excursions were fun and I was constantly being challenged by the language. I had a wonderful balance between school and social life and felt that I was at home. |
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) |
The cost of living with a host family was considered a personal expense and was a little tricky at first but ended up working out very well. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Meals were included in housing cost (about $465/month) so I usually only spent about $20.00/week, if that much. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Think about what you value most. For example, I knew that I wanted to take a big trip to San Pedro de Atacama and one other trip at the end of my semester. I planned to spend a lot of money on these two trips and therefore made sure to conserve weekly and did not go out to eat/ go out at night as much as other students. |
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 |
It's tough to follow, but just do it! |
| 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? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 300 level Literary Studies Course |
| 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? | Using duolingo or hellotalk applications on my phone throughout the summer prior to my departure helped. Once abroad, I reminded myself to be confident, ask questions and make conservation as much as I could with those around me. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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 reached out to a previous student as I was applying to the Middlebury program so I feel like I arrived with a great sense of perspective. The one thing I wish I knew was the best way to communicate with a host family and what the expectations are. I am very independent and felt bad that I spent the majority of my time outside of the house. I didn't know if this is something normal or if I should have spent more time with my family. Trying to find the balance in that sense was tricky for me. |
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.' |
