Valparaíso (va al paraíso) Chile Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was lighter, but with the language component, I spent just as much time and energy completing the assignments.

On-site administration of your program

The host country program administration was a three person team. They were incredibly helpful and accessible. Danko, Choqui and Sergio would literally do anything for any of us at any hour of the day. All three were from Chile and were very knowledgeable about the country. The program size was, in my opinion, perfect. There were 21 of us from all over the United States.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was very nice and provided me with a private room, bed, sheets, hairdryer and even a Chilean cell phone. It was wonderful to not need to buy very many items to settle-in. I lived walking distance from class, which was fantastic. However, I lived quite far from the nightlife. I had to take two different forms of transportation to get home (generally around 4 a.m.... Chileans know how to party!) and that was a major bummer. But they placed another student from my program in a home a few streets down from me, so we would always go out together.

Chileans only know one seasoning - SALT! They put it on everything. Lunch is the main meal. Dinner doesn't exist... We ate "once" - a late night snack and drank lots of tea. SIT did a good job of meeting my dietary restrictions by placing me with a family that was willing to cook to meet my needs.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We took several academic excursions throughout the program. We traveled to Santiago to visit museums and important historical sites. We lived with Native American families for two weeks to gain perspective on their cultural identity and fight for social justice.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I was pretty nervous about safety before going abroad. However, I quickly discovered that if you are smart and aware, your risk of harm diminishes greatly. If you are a girl, never go home alone after dark. If you are obviously a foreigner, do everything you can to not stand out so much (speak the local language in public!). Don't carry a lot of money, and don't be flashy with your money. Be very aware of your surroundings and trust your instincts. While there are cultural differences in what is appropriate between strangers (intensity of eye contact, closeness of body contact, etc.), if it feels wrong, don't second guess yourself. I had a situation where a man followed me home just after sunset. I was aware that he was following me, and while I felt paranoid or that I might be overreacting, I listened to my instincts and walked to a gas station instead of directly home. The man crouched behind a car and watched me, until I told attendants about my suspicions and pointed at him, at which point he ran across the street and down the hill.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

The challenge with a program of only American students is the tendency to speak English around each other. However, SIT intentionally placed us with Chilean families in order to encourage language immersion. Most Chileans I met knew a few phrases in English from movies and songs, but I need Spanish every day to use public transportation, order food, understand my professors, talk to my homestay family and watch the news.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans