Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An Unexpected Turn: Making the Most of a Social Unrest Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 07/21/2019 to 12/15/2020 with

Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaiso: Valparaiso - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Appreciate life more, because the most unexpected change can happen, and you never know when your life will change

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.

Aside from the school suspensions, I felt effectively challenged in my biology courses.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Not bad. Opportunities were presented by program.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Handled the protest situation well.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Negative thoughts mainly stem from the circumstance and from personal events. Program honestly did the best they could.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 25 dollars if I felt like eating out 2 times a week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Keep an excel budget sheet. I lost my card, so I only had my emergency money for a couple of months. It helps to pace yourself.

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

Very much.

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? 300 level
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? Force yourself to be social. The major benefit of going abroad is not the location, but the people. Talk to native speakers, and only use spanish, even if they use english towards you.

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?
  • The trips
  • Very nice people running it
* What could be improved?
  • Make events optional. I'd rather have a more independent exploration
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Honestly Midd did a good job informing us on things. Some things should be left as a surprise.

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 Adventurer
The 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:

Anatomy
Course Department: Biology
Instructor: Paulo Salinas
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Challenging. He is a gem of a professor. Very interesting for medical spanish.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Fauna Chilena
Course Department: Biology
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Great, easy class with information thats great for a visitor to the country. Also great opportunity to practice presentations in spanish
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Protests in Chile
Course Department: Spanish - Middlebury Program
Instructor: Juan Pastene
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Great option during the college suspension. Very impressive considering the short time frame. Interesting context.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

CESFAM Internship
Course Department: Public Health/Medicine
Instructor: Paulina Solis
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Great opportunity, very individualized according to the student's interest.
Credit Transfer Issues: