Positive experience in a great city Past Review

By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 07/21/2018 to 12/15/2018 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Valdivia

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

First and foremost, my comfort with speaking and writing in Spanish improved greatly throughout the semester. I also found it to be a nice contrast from the very busy and organized life of students at Middlebury. I learned to be more flexible, and I enjoyed the opportunity to travel and get to know the region outside of academic commitments. In addition to the course material learned, experiencing a different geography department and university system was also valuable.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	I found the Middlebury staff to be well organized and helpful when addressing questions or concerns about the program. Initially there was a bit of confusion about some of the program aspects; however, everything was resolved. Overall the program ran really well.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I liked my host family and enjoyed living so close to the university. It was also nice that they had experience with exchange students in the past, so they were comfortable having someone live with them.
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I felt integrated with my family, and by the end I felt like I was integrating more with my classmates at the university.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I had no experience with the health care system. My doctor advised me to take Typhoid pills before travelling to the country.
* Safety:	I felt very safe in Valdivia. With some common sense, I did not feel in danger in the city even at night. This was especially true on the Isla Teja. In the center, I preferred to be with others, but I did not feel that unsafe walking alone at night. Options like Uber and Taxis were available if you needed to get around at night.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes I would definitely choose to study in Valdivia again. I was part of the Sustainability Track, and I enjoyed the opportunity to participate in an internship and independent research outside of my classes. I really liked the city of Valdivia and the smaller program in the city.

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)	I found the city to be affordable and didn't have a need to spend a lot of money because food was provided with the housing. The rent was not too expensive for the host family, especially taking meals into account. All money apart from rent was spent on activities or travel.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	Not including rent, I spent very little money on food and other expenses. Costs were infrequent and related to travel.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Take advantage of the fact that meals are provided by your host family and look for free activities in the city. Many museums, especially when travelling in Santiago had major discounts for Chilean students (with your university I.D.).

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	The major goal of the Middlebury program is language proficiency and the language pledge.
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?	Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	I had completed a 300 level Spanish course at Middlebury.
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?	Our group made a concerted effort to speak only in Spanish when we were together and with the other international students at the university. I think that by sticking to this practice we all improved a lot. It was a great, low-stress way to work on our comfort speaking in Spanish.

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	Local Students
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?	Location and city Academic opportunities Travel opportunities
* What could be improved?	Communication about program requirements
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I did not know much about Chile or the city of Valdivia before going. I don't think that there is much that I wish I had known beforehand. I had confidence in the program, and was satisfied with how things worked out. I wish I had had a better sense of the different projects and research papers that were required by the program before starting; but that was a very small part of the overall experience.

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 Academic or Linguist You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Geomorfologia
Course Department:	Geography
Instructor:	Carlos Rojas
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	The teacher for this course was fantastic and very knowledgeable. This course was recommended by some Chilean students, and the professor is an expert in the geomorphology of the region. The course included mostly lectures and some labs, and there was a field trip to explore the concepts we learned about in the local area.
Credit Transfer Issues: