History Study Abroad Programs in Valparaiso, Chile

Going abroad was such an amazing experience that I definitely reccomend to everyone! This program in Chile was so immersive and very supportive throughout my time. Worldstrides planned great excursions for us that made it very fun with always something to look forward to!

I studied in Santiago with Middlebury in Chile, where I was fully immersed in urban Chilean culture while fostering lasting relationships within my program and having the freedom to explore interests, academic and professional alike. The curriculum was the best kind of challenging that pushed me to develop my personal agency, and my Spanish skills absolutely skyrocketed over the course of the semester. I absolutely loved the city of Santiago and its culture; the friendships I made with my cultural mentor, my host family, and the other Midd students were so special. Chile is truly such a welcoming and beautiful country, and I will be forever grateful for the way I was able to fully appreciate it and allow it to shape me and my worldview through immersion.

This program was very well-run. The faculty at the program site were amazing, kind, and caring. Almost all of the home stays were great fits for the students, and when anyone had a problem they could easily be moved. The best part of the program is the internship/independent study period. My internship was fantastic and important for making most of my Chilean friends.

I loved my time in Chile! The people I met definitely made the semester! The SIT staff was very friendly and supportive, and they did a great job assigning host families. I loved my host families both in Valparaiso and on the excursions. I felt very comfortable and got to know them very well despite the partial linguistic barrier. I also found many Chileans around my age to be really friendly, and I was able to make a few great friends who I still talk with every week. The group dynamics within the program weren't great, in part, because our homestays were so spread out that it encouraged cliques to form. The staff maybe could have done more to improve group dynamics especially during our first few days in Chile where we were all staying at a hotel together for orientation. I have mixed feelings about the program's academics. I appreciate that we weren't assigned much work, so we got to use our time outside of school to explore and spend time with our host families. I thought my Spanish class was interesting, and it helped me to learn Chilenismos and improve my grammar. The classes about cultural identity, social justice, and economics were disappointing though. They were taught by different guest lecturers every class, so there was no continuity or clear learning targets. Some of the classes/lecturers were great, but most were boring and didn't teach me much. The research methodologies class was a bit dry but did a good job of preparing us for our ISPs. I was not excited about doing an ISP as I don't like research, but ended up finding a topic I was excited about and got a lot out of it! The SIT staff did a great job supporting me through the ISP period, even as I traveled outside of Valparaiso for it. I loved Valpariso/Viña and Chile in general. The pace of life in Valpo/Viña (and its public transport) is a lot slower than where I'm from (MA), but once I got used to that I loved exploring the city (going to dance classes, bars, markets, ect.) I also went to visit friends in Santiago on the weekends and have touristy days with them. I also loved our excursion to the south. I loved getting to spend time outside in a rural area and go to family parties with my host family. Our trip to the north was kind of a wash since so many people got sick (largely due to the altitude). I would have loved to travel around Chile and the Southern Cone more, but we didn't have any breaks and weren't allowed to travel without the program. I didn't think the program's schedule, nor its policy that students can't travel on their own was made clear on the website which frustrated me.

Although I only participated in the 4-week intensive month program, I will always remember the lessons I learned, memories, and friends I made during my time in Viña del Mar and Valparaiso. I lived with a host family in Viña, and they were the best! They made me feel like part of the family and included me in all of their family gatherings. I learned so much about Chilean lifestyle and made great connections by living with the family. My Spanish proficiency improved greatly in the short time I was there through the intensive classes and everyday practice with family and friends. After my program, I was lucky enough to explore the Patagonia region of Chile and Argentina, and it is my favorite place I have ever visited. I would go back to Chile in a heartbeat, and definitely plan to return in my lifetime. The hospitality and kindness of the people that live there combined with the breathtaking natural beauty make Chile an easy choice for a study abroad location!

Wow, what an unforgettable experience my 5 months in Chile have been. I am so grateful I was able to get the opportunity to experience and learn about a different part of the world. I wish to encourage others to consider studying abroad. Chile treated me with nothing but kindness, amazing sights, and fun memories I will always have replaying in my head. ISA was a hands-on program that made me feel prepared and safe. The staff was there in a heartbeat if I had any questions or issues. I was able to go on a few excursions with my program and became friends with the other students within the program. I don't believe I would have as smooth a transition into living in another country without my ISA crew. Although I traveled to other beautiful countries while studying in Chile... I always became homesick for my city Viña Del Mar, Chile. It is truly one-of-a-kind city. You have the coast with the most beautiful sunsets in front of you and a city with every kind of restaurant, bar, and shopping centers you'll ever need behind you. It's impossible to be bored in Viña. At the same time, it is so easy to run on island time since it is still a "beach city". The loud sounds of the waves at night will have you asleep by 9PM.

I had a great time in Valparaiso! I was paired with the perfect host family, and we complemented each other well! I created a great relationship with my host mom and had the funniest host brothers. It was easy to find things to do on the weekends because they had an endless list of suggestions, and she was a pro since she had been hosting students for years. Valparaiso is such a beautiful city, and I say it is a realistic city to live in. Like all cities, certain areas are dangerous, but just be smart, and you'll be fine. The workload was never too overwhelming other than when I left things for the last minute, and there were many in-class field visits. The excursions were amazing, and you learn so much. I met the most amazing people in my program and was able to explore different parts of the city. I even got to go to Santiago. Through my internship I was able to experience such an amazing work culutre and learn of different social issues Chile has. The experience is what you make it!

Studying abroad with ISA was one of the best experiences of my life. I was originally set to study in Buenos Aires, AR, but due to low enrollment the host institution cancelled. However, ISA was beyond helpful: they notified me immediately and provided me with multiple other scenarios. (Receive a refund, postpone to another semester, study abroad in another Latin American country and informed me of the available options, or study abroad on another continent and informed me of who to contact.) While it was a lot to take in, my questions were answered immediately and I felt understood. This alone made ISA stand out as a communicative and professional company. While abroad, I had the time of my life. The orientation helped us get to know one another well and all of the activities and excursions helped us get to know the area. Living with a host family was lovely and I would not trade these memories for the world.

Studying abroad in Chile was a wonderful and eye-opening experience. It was beautiful because I got to meet so many new people and learn so much from different cultural experiences. But it was also challenging in some ways. Going abroad really requires you to step out of your comfort zone and engage with a different environment. It was scary at first, but it's such a fulfilling and exciting experience. After going to Santiago, Chile, I understood the importance of getting out of your bubble and seeing what's out there. I'm so glad I had this opportunity and I would recommend it to everyone!

In the fall of 2022, I attended the Middlebury Schools Abroad program in Santiago de Chile. I lived with a wonderful host family with whom I remain in contact to this day. I made life-long friends and have gone back to Chile since my Middlebury semester to conduct academic research through my university. My time in Chile profoundly impacted me and changed my life for the better. The Middlebury Staff provided me with amazing opportunities, like an internship at a human rights organization. They also helped me enroll in interesting classes at Universidad Alberto Hurtado (i.e., museums of Santiago and their histories, lingüistic anthropology). My classmates were welcoming and excited to have an exchange student in class. It was hard to integrate into social circles at the beginning, but after putting myself out there a lot and asking a bunch of questions (you have to be outgoing), I made great friends. I liked my study-abroad cohort peers a lot, but I was primarily friends with Chilean people I met at school, the skate park, or a cultural event. I didn't really spend time with other Americans, which helped me improve my language skills significantly. The language pledge, which sets Middlebury apart from other study-abroad programs, was also great. Everyone in my cohort got noticeably better at Spanish throughout the program. I really appreciated all of the staff's commitment to helping students learn about Chilean history so that our time abroad was grounded in knowledge of and respect for the place we were living. I wish we had had more cultural outings in Santiago and Valparaiso because I learned a lot from the ones we did have, especially our trip to the national cemetery in Recoleta and the Museo de Memoria y derechos humanos. However, we did get to go on an incredible trip to Torres del Paine in Patagonia! While the academics were engaging, my university spent a lot of time on strike, so I didn't attend as many classes as I usually do in the US. Because of that, school was not the center of my life. I found my friendships, going to skate parks, visiting museums, taking hikes, wandering around the city, etc., to be super fulfilling. Studying abroad can be a lot of fun, but it can also be lonely and challenging. Santiago is a big city, and you have to put in effort to make plans with people to coordinate travel time. Sometimes, I felt isolated because of that. I leaned on my host mom and the program heads for support when I needed it. I loved my study-abroad experience. Shoutout to Juan, Lindsay, and Paulina!

I came into study abroad eager and excited, looking to improve my fluency in Spanish. Without realizing though, I also came in treating study abroad as an item on a checklist, but it was so much more! From the warm & welcoming culture of the people, to the rich seafood, that I didn't know you could put in an empanada, to living a 10 minutes' walk from the beach, I fell in love with life there. My host family made me feel so at home and I loved walking and exploring the city every day. The public transportation was easy, though the Micro's were surely an adventurous ride!! Being immersed in this culture swept me off of my feet. Building relationships with the other students studying abroad, the local Chileans, and our residential director was a highlight for sure! While I knew that it was custom to kiss on the cheek when greeting, this still took me by surprise and I had to adjust. I would say that I started to get a bit homesick around week 6 and this probably lasted about a month or so, but our residential director did an amazing job with having these open types of conversations with us, always asking what kind of support we needed and having us reflect. But there was always something to do, whether a festival in Valpo or something hosted by UAI's student exchange team, so getting outside of the house and planning things to look forward to helps with that a TON! Honestly, my heart is still there, and I am seriously considering moving there. I visited the San Pedro de Atacama Dessert and it was stunningly breathtaking!...SO, if you're still debating, let this be your sign to say YES and DO IT!! ;) thank me later, I hope you have an amazing experience!!!

While studying abroad with ISA in Chile, I had a great experience with my host family and made new friends through the program. I did not get as many opportunities to interact with Chileans as I'd thought and the schedule was rigorous but I had a unique chance to learn about Latin American healthcare and politics. It was different than I expected it to be but different is not good or bad-- it's just different. Overall I would recommend studying abroad to every student so that they gain knowledge about themselves and the world around them.

The ISA program in Valparaíso, Chile was fantastic. The ISA staff were quick to respond to any questions or concerns that I had and helpful throughout the entire program. Anytime you needed anything, they were there, but it was never so much that the program felt guided; it is still quite independent. Public transportation was quick, cheap, and reliable so you could get anywhere in Valparaíso or Viña Del Mar with ease. The host families are incredibly kind, adaptable with their exchange students, and an amazing support system to have while abroad. The option to have independent housing is also available if you would like, so the program is very customizable. The academics are also able to be unique to the individual student so earning credit at home should be no problem. Beyond that the cities are full of gorgeous colorful buildings, murals, and stunning ocean views. You are sure to find some great places to eat, shop, and spend time with friends. The locals are typically very helpful and kind. You aren’t too far from Santiago so you can have fun at the Capital or travel easily to different cities in the country. If you love nature, the lakes region, Atacama Desert, and Chilean Patagonia are incredible places to visit. This program was the best part of my college experience and I will always remember fondly. I highly, highly recommend this program to anyone interested.

My favorite things about this program were the location in Valparaiso and the week-long excursions we did in both the northern and southern regions of Chile. The opportunity to spend time with and learn from the Aymara people in the north of Chile and the Mapuche people in the south of Chile was what initially drew me to this program over other programs in South America. I believe that there is some room for improvement in the structure of some of the classes and the administration of the program, but overall I had a great experience. The program staff members were available and very helpful each of the 3 times that I required medical assistance and had to go to the clinic. The homestay coordinator is one of the sweetest people ever and is a great person to approach with any questions or concerns. The Spanish teachers are all really cool and helpful.

One of the program trips that IFSA planned for us was a trip to the souther part of Chile where we stayed with indigenous Mapuche families that we had been learning about in our classes. We were able to do an amazing hike in the mountains that has been the path of indigenous people crossing between Argentina and Chile for a long time. The peak of our hike was when we made it to the top and the top was the tip of a volcano!

Leaving was the worst thing about my entire year. I was able to increase my fluency, take major classes, and develop a life there. I tried surfing, rock climbing, acro yoga, and so much more. My host family and the Chilean community was so welcoming. In my second semester, the only time I spoke English was in phone calls to people back home because I had become so close to my host family, classmates, and friends that I was always speaking Spanish. I learned so much about myself, traveling, Chile, and other people, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

My experience in Valparaiso with IFSA is something that is extremely hard to convey in text. I guess the first thing I have to say is that staying with my host family definitely was the highlight of my experience and I have to thank IFSA for organizing that. I learned valuable life skills and experienced so much cultural immersion. IFSA does an incredible job connecting international students with local chilean communities, in school and outside school. It's a crazy feeling that I don't know how to describe but I really felt like I was out there on my own and it was an absolutely amazing experience. I would have never learned as much as I did if it wasn't for my host family. They taught be about Chilean culture in a way that I could never learn in a class room. By simply living with them, eating with them, and talking with them, I felt fully immersed within two months. IFSA staff also had a major role in helping me get integrated into the chilean lifestyle. Mainly, finding the perfect host families. IFSA offered classes, food tastings, excursions, opportunities to see people speak and a lot more than you probably wont get anywhere else. For example, we got to travel to the South of Chile to live with real Mapuche families for a weekend. When would you ever have that opportunity in your life? One thing that I really loved about IFSA is that they treated you like an adult and expected you to do things on your own, but still provided all the support that you would need to get things done. After all, the only way to learn about a different culture is to live in it, and that's what IFSA allowed us to do. They didn't treat us like international tourists who just wanted to observe from an outside view. They know that we are students eager to learn, so they treated us like normal international students and helped us integrate as students, not as tourists. Students studying with IFSA really feel a sense of individuality, at home and at school, due to the amount of freedom that IFSA gives them. But at the same time, IFSA is always there for help, support, questions, or whatever it may be. Studying with IFSA gave me the perfect amount of freedom so I could learn on my own, yet also provided me with the perfect about of comfort, showing me that i am never actually alone with them.

This program was truly the best time of my life. I met the most amazing people, was able to learn from the professors I had and my host family, as well as the program directors. Every day was an adventure and I enjoyed how independent I became in such a short time. I am glad that this program required us to stay with host families because I think the host family experience only enriched my time in Chile. It made me feel closer to Chile to have a family that would engage me in conversations that I otherwise might miss from just regular classes. My program also had several trips planned for my entire program and these were what made the program so special. I loved being with everyone on the program and learning together and then being able to discuss and reflect upon our shared experiences.

I loved studying in Chile. I had so much support from the IFSA program, and they were always on my side and eager to help. It was, however, a little hard escaping the American bubble. It took a while, but I managed to make local friends and hang out with peers, but it was a challenge at first, largely because that was one of the few things outside of IFSA control. Furthermore, my classes went on strike midway through my semester, so I didn't learn much in class, but it was an incredibly rewarding time outside of class. What I learned outside of class was better than what I learned inside. It was an incredibly valuable informal education that I will never forget. I loved abroad, and I will miss it fondly.

Choosing to study abroad for six weeks in Chile was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I had always wanted to study abroad but the price to study for one summer through my university at home was not realistic for my family to pay. Once we found API and compared the numbers, it was clear that would be the best option. Without doing much research on Chile before I left, I was kind of just hoping for the best. What resulted was six of the best weeks of my life. From the very beginning, my program instructor from API, Alejandra, was waiting for me with open arms at the airport. I was lucky to not only get along well with the students in my summer program, but also the other group of API students that had been studying in Viña/ Valparaíso for the entire spring semester. API encouraged us to ask for help from the faculty when we needed it but also to reach out to the older students that had been there for a few months already. Having the older students helped a lot in terms of knowing exactly where to go and where not to go as well as giving us the inside scoop on Chilenismos. I was also very very fortunate to get placed into a family that I loved greatly. My host parents were young and fun and my host brother and sister went out of their way to show me the best time. I would not have had the trip that I had without the family that I was placed in. Family dinners and traveling for my brother's basketball games were the kinds of events that enriched my experience so much. Overall, it's very clear that my trip was nothing but positive. API added to this experience with weekly excursions that helped in learning more about the culture in Chile. There is no doubt in my mind that I will return to Viña del Mar to stay with my family and share a drink with my instructor within the next year. Not trying to be dramatic, but really an 11/10 experience.