Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Public Health in Chile: An amazing experience! Past Review

By (Public Health/Spanish, Washington University in Saint Louis) - abroad from 02/24/2015 to 06/08/2015 with

SIT Study Abroad: Chile - Public Health, Traditional Medicine, and Community Empowerment

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was incredibly worthwhile. I got the chance to travel all over Chile and become fully immersed in the culture. I grew more confident in my ability to speak Spanish and navigate all kinds of situations.

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 intensive Spanish course at the beginning of the program was lacking, but the team took our feedback into account and is completely restructuring the curriculum. Otherwise, the classes were really engaging and I learned a lot!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The staff was extremely accessible and capable. I felt completely supported throughout my entire experience in Chile.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was very kind and accommodating.

* Food:

I missed fruits and vegetables and the portions were often huge, but overall I was really satisfied. I found that through honest communication with my host family, I was able to have more control over my diet.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Take advantage of your host siblings/cousins/friends and other locals that you meet through classes at the University. They are a great resource for showing you around the city!

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had any direct experience with healthcare, but I had friends that did. They all seemed very satisfied with their experience.

* Safety:

When traveling anywhere, common sense and awareness are essential qualities. That being said, I felt very safe throughout the course of the program.

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)

It completely depends on how much you want to go out and how much food you want to buy for yourself.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? No more than $10-20/week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Definitely bring toiletries (things like sunscreen can be very expensive) and whatever snacks you might miss from home (ex. peanut butter, trail mix, chocolate, granola bars).

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

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Advanced
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 400 Level Spanush
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? Take advantage of your host families, the Chileans you meet, and the other students on your program. It can be tempting to speak in English but you will learn so much more if you make the commitment to speaking in Spanish, especially when out in the city.

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
  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • ISP Period
  • Excursions to Tacna, Temuco, and Putre
  • Hospital and Clinic visits
* What could be improved?
  • Spanish Classes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Chilean spanish is really difficult to understand, especially at first!

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 Urbanite
A 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.