This was one of those not-so-great study abroad experiences. Past Review
By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/21/2018 to 07/15/2018 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Santiago
I learned a lot about Chilean marine and terrestrial life through my marine biology courses and internship, and of course learned a new dialect of Spanish. However I would not say my semester was particularly worthwhile.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Many resources for exchange students. Due to host university strikes, not a very academically engaging experience. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Only satisfied after switching host families to one of my choosing. My first family that Middlebury paired me with was not at all a good fit. |
| * Food: |
I most enjoyed the food I cooked for myself. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
While there were some aspects I liked about Chile, overall I did not have a great time. I especially struggled with host family living, the rainy climate, and lack of food culture. |
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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $40/week, plus more for traveling. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Produce and food in general is pretty cheap in Chile. The rent to my host family was my biggest expense. |
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? | Fluent |
| 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? | upper-300s level Spanish courses |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Talk to people! |
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? | 0 |
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? | How much living in a rainy climate would affect my mood |
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 Avid AdventurerThe 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. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Marine Invertebrates |
| Course Department: | Marine Biology |
| Instructor: | Alejandro A. Bravo |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | Not a great professor unfortunately, making a course with lots of interesting material boring. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Contemporary Hispanic Literature |
| Course Department: | Pedagogy of literature |
| Instructor: | Estefanía Peña Steel |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | Very engaging, professor did a good job continuing the course for exchange students during the strike. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
