Chile: Si po'! Past Review
By Alexandra O (Spanish Language Teacher Education., St. Cloud State University) for
University of Concepción: Concepcion - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I think learning how to function in such a different culture was very beneficial. When I first got there, I was annoyed that they weren't punctual, but I learned that they are just more relaxed about time, and loosened up.
Personal Information
| 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. |
I had two of the most amazing classes I've ever taken there. Almost every professor was very knowledgable and helpful. I ended up switching my minor to linguistics because of a linguistics class I took there. The school was more laid back than universities in the United States. Most of the teachers were always late, since Chileans are not as punctual as Americans. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
It was sometimes hard to track down information. For example, when we tried to get student IDs, they sent us in circles, and no one seemed to know where we should go. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family provided meals, but sometimes I bought things they didn't have. We lived close to downtown and about a twenty-minute from the university. They were helpful in showing me around, and explaining things to me. They treated me pretty much like family. Chileans usually don't move out of their parents' home until they marry, so parents view their children more as kids and less as adults. Sometimes I had issues making my mother understand I was an adult. |
| * Food: |
They don't drink much water. I would make it a point to try completos (like hot dogs), empanadas, and sopaipillas. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We got to go on two trips arranged by our university: one to Temuco, a city populated by many indigenous Chileans, where we learned a lot about the native culture. The second one was to La Sirena, after our semester was done, and it was more of a vacation. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
My family told me it was very dangerous to go out after dark, but I never had problems. I had to get several vaccines. |
| 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? | Food was included in the program, but sometimes I ate out or bought my own food. Average I spent each week was about $40. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | none |
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? | SPAN202 |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I used Spanish every day with my host family, and in every day interactions. No one spoke English, so it was necessary. I loved it, because going to a barbecue or party helped my Spanish just as much as any class. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | They are known for speaking "bad" Spanish, that is their pronunciation is slurred and they leave out consonants. They aren't great role models for learning to speak, but comprehension skills will increase by leaps and bounds once the initial period of not understanding a word. When I got back, I could understand my professors without any problems at all. |
