A wonderful experience with wonderful people and so many interesting cultures! August 06, 2024
By Grace B (Neurobiology, University of Wisconsin - Madison) - abroad from 02/20/2024 to 06/03/2024 with
SIT Study Abroad: Chile - Public Health, Traditional Medicine, and Community Empowerment
I was amazing to become close and make friends and family thousands of miles from home. In addition, my Spanish-speaking skills increased more than I had ever dreamed they would, and now I feel confident speaking Spanish in most settings.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The academics were intriguing, but not overwhelming. The focus was largely on experience-based learning, as opposed to solely classroom learning. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff of the program were amazing--flexible and understanding, and determined to make Arica feel like home for the few months we were there. I cannot recommend them, their generosity, and their compassion enough. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host parents were generous and kind, and I greatly enjoyed my time with them. I had my own room in the majority of the homestays, and was always well-fed and felt supported. |
| * Food: |
The food depended greatly depending on which homestay family you were placed with, but many host families cooked together and I was able to learn many new recipes, which I greatly enjoyed. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
My host family in Putre was especially generous in integrating me with the local culture. In addition, there were many opportunities to go to local cultural events and festivals, and to learn about the unique blend of Bolivian, Peruvian, Chilean, and Aymaran culture in the city of Arica. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The homestay coordinator, Norma, was always conscious of our health and wellness, and always encouraged us to take a day to rest if we were feeling under the weather, and took students to be seen by a healthcare provider if the sickness lasted more than a day. |
| * Safety: |
It was not particularly safe to walk at night, so using Ubers and taxis was necessary when going around after dark. However, the neighborhood our homestay families were in was generally quite safe and within a short distance of the university. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | ~$100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | To avoid going out to eat too often with friends, try getting groceries and having a group meal with the other study abroad participants--it's cheaper and also a ton of fun! |
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 |
We spoke Spanish almost exclusively every day. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| 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? | Fifth semester Spanish |
| 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? | Just do it! In any way you can, try participating with family and avoid speaking English, even with your classmates. Having to do everything in Spanish increases your comprehension and fluency so much quicker! |
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? | Arica is in a desert, so don't be surprised. The beach is beautiful, but it is hot almost every day, so be prepared. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
