IES Abroad Santiago – Politics, Social Justice & Language

I went into college knowing that I wanted to study abroad somewhere, but I had no idea where. I knew I wanted to go to an uncommon place so that I could have a unique experience. However, it wasn't until I found out I could finish my Spanish minor abroad that I started looking at South America. 

I decided to apply for an international program because I have known, without a doubt, that I wanted to study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country during my college experience. I also wanted to have the chance to learn about public health abroad. Furthermore, I knew that as part of my study abroad experience, I wanted to live with a host family in order to be totally immersed in local culture and to be able to, by the end of the program, call the place I studied in home. Now, after being abroad and accomplishing these goals, I can easily say that Santiago has become my second home and that it is a place which I will always hope to return to.

There are a few reasons I decided to apply for an international program. First, I am majoring in Spanish and decided that in order to really learn Spanish was to immerse myself in a culture in which I had to speak and use Spanish as my primary language. Second, I wanted to see the world. Studying abroad is a great way to not only learn and continue your college career, but you also get to travel the world while learning.