Language and Social Immersion Past Review
By Emily Neel (Wellesley College) - abroad from 02/17/2017 to 07/03/2017 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Valparaiso
I obviously gained a strong appreciation for the Chilean culture and language, and my ability to meet and connect with people from very different backgrounds from my own was amazing.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I felt lucky to be in a program where I was integrated completely in the local university and not studying exclusively with other exchange students. This was really valuable to learn about a different education system. While abroad, I definitely missed the organization and attention from professors that I receive at Wellesley. It is harder to contact professors and the organization of classes was at times baffling to me. While I felt I did learn in my classes, my experience outside the university was where the majority of my learning took place. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The communication and level of attention from my program and the three coordinators with whom I was in contact was outstanding. They were always happy to meet with students to discuss classes, life, and adjustments. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Living with a host family was vital to my feeling of integration in another country, and I felt very comfortable and welcomed. |
| * Food: |
I was lucky to be in a home that ate healthy meals and was willing to accommodate my dietary choices and the amount of food I wanted to eat. I did hear from other students, however, that they found it difficult to obtain full meals or that they ate too much bread. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was difficult for me to find friends within my classes, partially because I was only in the country for a semester. However, my host family and the connection with peer mentors my program provided were both very valuable for integration. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The program set up an appointment for me, and there is a reimbursement process. |
| * Safety: |
I felt relatively safe as long as I was aware of my surroundings and travelled in groups at night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I spent the semester focussing on language and social growth rather than academic growth, and definitely experienced this through difficult but also very rewarding situations. |
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) |
I think Chile is a very affordable country to live in - I do know the housing was more expensive for us than it may be for locals because it is set up through the college as a food/room lump sum. It was more difficult for me because of previous financial difficulties. Financial difficulties were due to college tuition through Wellesley, and not living expenses in Chile. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Financial difficulties were due to college tuition through Wellesley, and not living expenses in Chile. |
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 |
We signed a "language promise" to not use any other language but Spanish with other people, even other Americans, in Chile. |
| 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? | A 200 level Spanish poetry 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? | Complete immersion, including music and television shows, helped me gain confidence and improve my vocab immensely. |
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 am going to need to sleep A LOT within the first two months - it's tiring to be immersed completely in a new language and culture, and I have to be kind to myself through this process. |
