API: Experience Viña del Mar, Chile (Scholarships Available)

I lived in Viña del Mar, Chile, a lovely city on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, from July-December 2019 as part of API's study abroad program that's focused on Business and Spanish at the Universidad Adolfo Ibañez. I lived in a comfortable, centrally-located apartment with a retired Chilean grandmother as my host mom and took classes with other international students in both English and Spanish, and it was fantastic. I loved my host mom and my fellow API students, and came out of Chile with deep friendships. The courses were also generally fun and engaging, with skilled professors, but were not particularly challenging and certainly met every student at their Spanish level. API's immersive program also made it possible for me to improve my Spanish to a professional level I had never been able to achieve in the classroom in the US, a highly useful skill in the business world. It allowed me to connect with business professionals in Latin America and learn from them firsthand - I interviewed for an internship in Santiago while I was living in Viña! - as well as let me live the impact of Latin America's economic problems and continuing development. API also provides a program that is incredibly well-supported - the resident on-site coordinator for the program is the nicest, most helpful, and knowledgeable person on the planet, and she genuinely cares about each and every student. She helped me navigate the Chilean health system when I was sick, even to the point of taking me to the doctor herself. She led many fantastic excursions for the whole API group, from a long weekend in the gorgeous Atacama desert up north to a local vineyard tour and lunch. Even when there was some political unrest in Chile and public protests threw a wrench in the semester, she and API were proactive, responsive, and reassuring, and I never felt unsafe. All in all, an amazing program. I highly recommend it.

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There is a lot to talk about when reviewing a study abroad experience, but the main things are housing, academics, the location and the program. First, API found me a host family and they ended up being amazing people. I got very close to them and consider them my second family. Second, academics wise, API offers a nice range of classes. There are the classes meant for foreigners, that are easier and focus more on learning Spanish and about culture. Then there are the classes with Chileans, which are obviously harder, but have a wider range of subjects and that are MUCH MORE rewarding in the end. Third we have the location. Vina del Mar and Valparaiso are right next to each other and are both amazing. They are beautiful, right on the ocean, great weather, and they are SAFE (which is important when in S. America). The people are genuinely friendly, and it is easy to get around the city. Lastly, when talking about API as a company, I have lots to say. But in general, the workers in the US were quick to respond and on top of things, and the lady who helped us in Chile was amazing. She made the experience SOOOO enjoyable. I really recommend this program.