An Unforgettable Experience Past Review
By Peyton L (Special Education, Denison University) - abroad from 08/20/2019 to 12/02/2019 with
SIT Study Abroad: Chile - Comparative Education and Social Change
I got to learn about the history of Chile and how it continues to affect it's people, which is why a massive social uprising occurred in the first place. I got to learn about a culture that was very different from my own, which has altered my own perspective about the world and the way I live my life. I got to meet people that I will remember for the rest of my life, that I never would have met had it not been for this program. I got to challenge myself, and truly see what I'm capable of. I'm more independent and confident than I ever was before, and I owe that to my study abroad experience. It was very different than the experience some of my friends had, but it was one that will prove to be valuable for the rest of my life.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The educational aspect of this program was one of the aspects that I was most satisfied with. I learned more about the education system and the history of Chile and Argentina than I ever imagined I could. I learned the most from visiting schools and talking to educators and students. I don’t think I would’ve learned as much as I did had I not been given the chance to experience these schools firsthand. I feel as if I can now use the knowledge I’ve gained about the education system in South America in my studies about our own education system in the United States. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The on-site administration of my program could not have been better. I felt immediately welcome and comfortable, even though I was in a foreign country with total strangers. I never had any issues, but if I had, I would’ve felt comfortable reaching out to the administration for advice and/or help. And I’m confident they would’ve dealt with my issues accordingly. They put my safety and well-being first and genuinely cared about each and every one of us. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My living arrangements were one of my favorite parts of the entire trip. All three of my homestay families immediately welcomed me into their homes and made me feel as if I was one of their own. I was incredibly nervous about the homestay aspect of my trip specifically, as I had never done anything like it before, but those nerves went away the second I met my host mom. I am certain that I will keep in contact with my homestay families for a very long time, as they significantly shaped my experience abroad. |
| * Food: |
I did not have high expectations for the food in South America, as it had been described as very bland, but I was pleasantly surprised. While the food occasionally lacked flavor and spice, I actually really enjoyed it. The food in South America is generally healthier than ours in the United States, meaning it doesn't have much of the "unnecessary" ingredients such as salt, pepper, etc. But, regardless, it was good and I really miss my host mom's meals. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We spent a lot of time getting to know the teachers and students in the schools that we visited, but I did find it difficult to make friends outside of my program. All of our classes, seminars, and school visits were with the students on my program, so I feel as if I didn't really have a chance to meet local students that attended my university. I did meet a lot of locals in my own time, but I wish there would have been more integration within our classes. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have any health issues during my time on the program, but I do feel confident that they would have been taken care of accordingly if I had had issues. |
| * Safety: |
Safety was taken very seriously. There are quite a few restrictions on this program specifically, in means of travel, but they did not significantly affect my experience. Our administration provided us with a lot of helpful information as to what we needed to do to not put ourselves in any dangerous situations. I never felt unsafe during my time abroad. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This program was not easy. I put myself out of my comfort zone and went to a foreign non-English speaking country with 6 strangers. But, I learned more about myself than I ever would have had I not chosen this program. My time abroad was also unique because, while I was there, possibly the largest social uprising to-date occurred. Because of this, I ended up spending about half of my time in Chile and the other half in Argentina, which is not what I had planned. It ended up being fine, as I got more time to explore Argentina, but it completely altered my experience. I lost a lot of valuable time with my host family in Santiago, with whom I was very close with, but I was glad to get to know Buenos Aires. Absolutely nothing about this program went how I thought it would, but, regardless, I would do it all over again. |
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 found it very easy to manage my money. In the first place, things in South America are much cheaper than they are in the United States, and our host families provided our meals, so I almost never spent money on food, as there was no need to. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | On an average week, I think I would spend less than $100. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't go out to eat, if your host family is providing home-cooked meals, there's no reason to spend money on restaurants. Talk to your administration about days and/or places to buy travel tickets, South America has their own cyber monday type of thing in the fall where you can buy round-trip plane tickets for about $20. |
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 |
Every aspect of this program is in Spanish. The only time you will speak in English is with the students on your program (if they even want to speak in English, some do not because they want to practice their Spanish even more). |
| 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 just completed a higher 200 level spanish class at my university. |
| 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? | The Spanish that you learn in class is very different from the Spanish you will be using on this program. Spanish classes teach you vocabulary and grammar and basic sayings, but things are very different when you are having a conversation with a native spanish speaker. Almost everyone on my program had either lived with a spanish-speaking homestay family in the past, or they grew up speaking spanish in their homes. Since I had never done either of those, it was very difficult for me at first, but it is possible to survive on this program without that and, while it may be hard, you will significantly improve. The best way to practice is having a conversation with a native spanish speaker, have them ask you random questions and try to answer without them giving you any help with vocabulary. |
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 only wish that I had known how many people were attending my program, because my program specifically was very small. I don't know what I would have done had I known how few people were on my program, but I think having more people on my program would have been better. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
