Santiago, IES style

IES struck a perfect balance between accessibility and hands-off-ness, allowing us to have as much help or be as self-sufficient as we wanted. Here are a few examples:

Times when IES was involved:
* Complaints about homestays were heard and handled personally and promptly
* Security threats such as protests or natural disasters were addressed promptly and demanded immediate responses
* Holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving were celebrated in the IES building.

Time when IES was hands-off:
* We were allowed to take classes at partner Universities
* We were free to get involved in whatever group or organization we found without first running it by IES staff.
* We had the chance to arrange our own housing if desired.