Tufts-in-Chile: Check it Out! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Workload: light. This is partially due to classes taken (history, art, culture), and that at UChile students usually take 6-8 courses, while I only had to take 3-4. I think it's also partially due to a different work ethic. Grading System: seems similar. I did extremely well in all my classes, and I think sometimes foreigners get the "benefit of the doubt" or the "foreigner's advantage", since I felt my work quality was generally not as high as it is at Tufts. Teaching Methods: relatively similar, not quite as "hands-on/involved". Don't seem to like to read a lot of papers, so most assignments are in groups. Differences in Educational System: highly, extremely unorganized, especially at UChile. I am a very organizationally-minded individual, so this was a big stress factor for me at times. This is something you kind of just have to deal with, though.

On-site administration of your program

The program director and assistant are FANTASTIC. They do everything for us, are so kind and friendly, and are just incredible. The size of the program was great, support services were great, knowledge superb. Everything was wonderful.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My house location was great, pretty easy to get downtown and to classes. I had to buy a few things for my room, but not much. I loooooooooved my host family! My host mom was amazing, she and I chatted every day and she definitely helped me improve my Spanish exponentially. So kind and caring, treated me like her own child. My host brother was also very nice, but he wasn't around too much.

I'm a picky eater, but my host mom made a great effort to make food I liked. Food is just different in other countries and it takes getting used to. Places to eat: any Peruvian restaurant, places in Bellavista, if you're craving Thai I found a great place at Manuel Monnt & Bilbao ;)

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

-Program trips were wonderful -going out on the weekends, to bars and clubs and parties and movies etc -Lollapalooza! -trips to Peru, Mendoza, Buenos Aires, Uruguay, Patagonia, Pucon....every time I traveled it was amaaaaaaaazing. Loved loved loved it.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Santiago is a big, metropolitan city. As a girl, you have to be careful. Mostly, though, just have to be extremely aware and cautious of pickpocketing on the public transportation or while walking on busy streets...I never got anything stolen though! Wouldn't walk around by myself after dark, but that's pretty typical. I had multiple experiences with healthcare: two doctor's trips, eye doctor visit, and due to a holiday, a 24-hour clinic. Everything was accessible and my program was wonderful in arranging all the doctors' visits. The local healthcare system is high quality but, typically, disorganized and 1 step in the US becomes 4 in Chile....made me appreciate the US medical system! I did not need any vaccines and there were no health issues in the country.

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

I did not have to take the foreign language component class. The Tufts-in-Chile program strongly encouraged and improved my language acquisition. Talked with director and assistant entirely in Spanish by halfway through first semester. Spoke with my host mom entirely in Spanish, host brother 3/4 in Spanish. With people in my program, I spoke English, unless we were with Chileans. I used Spanish in everyday interactions. The only times I did not speak Spanish were when I was with other Americans after class or with people in the Tufts program.

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply