SIT Chile: Comparative Education & Social Change

I had an incredible experience abroad through SIT Chile: Comparative Education and Social Change. The staff and all our professors were knowledgeable, caring, and enthusiastic about the program and helping us learn and grow. I found that most of our academic and personal learning happened outside the classroom—SIT’s emphasis on field experience was one of the main reasons I chose to go abroad through their program. Through the vast range of school visits, tours of museums and human rights sites, and political and social marches and demonstrations, I was able to immerse myself in the culture, history, and current events of the country and learn in a way that would have been impossible to do in a university classroom in the U.S.

One of the most important parts of my abroad experience was living with a homestay family. I had the most amazing family who truly made me feel welcome, loved, and cared for during my entire time there. It was also the best way for me to practice and improve my Spanish in a low-pressure environment where I constantly felt supported and encouraged. I really felt like a part of my family, and we still have a group text where we write and send each other pictures regularly!

Some of the most unique and valuable parts of the SIT program were our group excursions to Valparaiso, Temuco, and Buenos Aires. Not only were we able to compare education systems and key social movements first-hand among the different regions, but we also got to connect with incredibly thoughtful, brave, and dedicated students, teachers, and activists. Our homestay experiences in Temuco and Buenos Aires allowed us to have closely personal relationships and intimate insights into the unique cultures and current challenges facing different communities we had learned about in a classroom context. I feel extremely grateful that I was able to travel to these different places and learn from so many amazing people—opportunities I probably would never have had outside of this program.

The ISP period at the end of our program was one of the most intense, challenging, and valuable academic, social, and personal experiences I have ever had. I had to make huge leaps in my confidence in my Spanish language skills and social capabilities in order to conduct effective research that I felt was truly beneficial to the communities I was so generously welcomed into. Ultimately, I built strong connections with members of the educational community in Santiago, and felt a sense of pride for what I had accomplished through my ISP. This project is something I hope to continue on in the future, and hopefully I have the chance to return to Chile and re-connect with some of the amazing educators, students, and administrators I worked with!

Overall, this program facilitated an amazing study abroad experience for me. Chile is a beautiful country with so much to explore, and I met so many wonderful people who shaped my experience and influenced the person I am today. I had to acknowledge that I was just scraping the tip of the iceberg with how much I had to learn (and still have left to learn) about the country’s past and present, but this program helped me learn and grow in countless ways and I am very grateful for that!

I participated in this program in the Spring of 2013 and it was one of the best decisions I ever made! SIT Chile: Comparative Education and Social Change was incredibly immersive. I came into it just average at Spanish, and left feeling extremely confident in my speaking availability and very close to fluent. The design of the program is structured so every day is different and you are constantly seeing new schools, speaking to students of all ages and seeing how different the education system can be in different areas of Chile. The group was small which made it feel that much more authentic, and the support by the director and our professors was very strong and they were always available by phone or email. I highly recommend this program for anyone interested in education and wanting to have a very authentic and local experience in Santiago!

I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to have a study abroad experience in a city that is full of life. I felt that I learned a extensive amount about Chile during a interesting time to be the politically. I am still very connected to many of the Chileans I met there as well a some people in my American group. I highly recommend this program if you are interested in the topic of education. There is also the opportunity to explore more rural areas in Chile as well as Buenos Aires Argentina. The variety within the program was exciting.

I stepped off the plan with tons of emotions and quickly felt comforted by the warm smiles on the Staff's faces. This was just the beginning of their kindness and support. I loved the character of this city. Although the neighborhoods were distinct from one another, together this city was inviting and peaceful. Together we accomplished so much and each day we took away another lovely memory. One of the highlights of my trip was my home stay. I had the most wonderful home stay experienced I could have imagined. I could barely hold a conversation in Spanish with my host mother for the first week but she was extremely patient and kind to me. We formed a strong relationship, something that I did not expect at my level of Spanish. Even with all of these wonderful parts and the continuos excitement, there were many moments where I wanted to connect and speak fluently with my host family or new friends and I felt limited. I had to stop worrying about messing up and go with it and this was a lesson for me in many ways.