Tufts-in-Chile: Fantastic Support for a Complete Experience of Chile Past Review
By Gabrielle B (Sociology., Tufts University) for
Tufts Programs Abroad: Tufts in Chile
I was amazed at the amount I gained academically. I had the opportunity for original research, for teaching, and to push myself in classes. I grew immensely on a personal level as well, because it allowed me to see myself from a different point of view and in new situations. I am most proud of my accomplishments while living abroad.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Universidad de Chile, Pontificia Universidad Católica |
| 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. |
Overall, I felt very fortunate to experience the Sociology departments that I did. The students were on much more rigorous tracks than at Tufts University, and I learned much more material than I have generally in my Sociology classes while at Tufts. That being said, it takes much more individual initiative to succeed than I had to invest at Tufts. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program director and assistants are incredibly accessible and helpful; they also show a deep care for the students. It was helpful to have consistent contact with them, not only through weekly drop-ins in the program office, but through many of the planned trips. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
If you're a vegetarian, it can be rough. But my host family did a great job of meeting my dietary needs. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Our trips were outstanding. The food was great. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Santiago is relatively safe apart from petty theft. The program prepared the group for this. In general, Chile is a very modern country, and there aren't health problems so different from the USA. |
| 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? | $40 on transportation, food, or entertainment in general. One trip on the metro is about $1, but if you transfer on a bus within 2 hours, the fare is free, so that's one way to save money. The host family also provided a lot of meals. I established weekly social activities that would sometimes involve spending money. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Carry money in your front pockets, your shoe, a fanny pack, or a bra (if you're a female). Pack less than you need and buy cheap clothes once you're there. It's a fun part of the experience. Bartering isn't too common in a lot of places, but if you can, you should have Chilean friends that go to market places with you and tell you if you're getting a good price. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Advanced literature seminars: SPN 192 |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I used the host language with my host family, with my church community, in classes, in the streets and public places... basically everywhere. There are many Chilean students that want to practice English, so that sometimes posed frustrations, and there are many exchange students that stick with other English-speakers, which is the most common pitfall. The best way to practice Spanish is to date a Chilean :) |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | You gain the most from this program if you either have or work hard to have a high level of proficiency in Spanish. Along with that is not being afraid to mess up. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Familia: Continuidad y Cambio |
| Course Department: | Soc 194 |
| Instructor: | Carmen Reyes |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | Phenomenal combination of learning academic material, class discussion/debate, and reflection on the student's personal experience and formation. This class compelled me to think sociologically about family as an institution, but also about my own future and past. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Not with this class; most classes in this program transfer directly. |
