Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable in Chile Past Review
By Clara M (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS., Carleton College) for
SIT Study Abroad: Chile - Comparative Education and Social Change
Yes.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The majority of the learning was the outside of the classroom type, though provided for by the structure of the program. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our directors were really incredible; they are exceptionally caring, smart and helpful people. Occasionally it seemed like there was friction between them, but that never inhibited our experience. They balance each other well. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
It took me about 50 minutes on the metro each day to get to class. I did not need to buy any items to settle in. In general, I was treated like a member of the family though that also meant being scolded occasionally. |
| * Food: |
A bit of a struggle to find variety and quality for vegetarians. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We spent a week in the south with an indigenous community which was absolutely incredible - definitely a highlight of the trip. We also went on a weekend trip to Valparaiso, and on a two week excursion to Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was really interesting and valuable to be able to compare Chile and Argentina, and each excursion was a lot of fun. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
| * Safety: |
I did not have any personal issues with health and safety. The program directors are very accessible and are the first contact person for any of these issues. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
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? | $24 USD per day to live with our host families, but that is covered through the program up until the Independent Study, during which we were asked to negotiate with our families about how much we would be paying each day (which was a highly uncomfortable process, and hopefully will not be repeated). Other than that, other expenses included transportation (~$8-10/week) and occasionally going out to eat or to a bar. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try to only carry the cash that you'll need, and when going out at night always leave enough to take a taxi back home. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
|
| Language acquisition improvement? |
The first few weeks we had spanish class daily, and we were always using spanish in everyday interactions. Very few people (outside of our group) spoke English. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | This is a great program for someone who is looking to have a challenging experience, and is willing to confront uncomfortable situations at times. |
