CIEE Liberal Arts in Santiago, Chile

I loved this program and loved Santiago so much. If you are a flow artist or have an interest in circus arts I recommend Santiago so highly- it is the world capital of jugglers and you will be inspired by events and presentations all of the time throughout the city. Also recommended for people looking to get to know a city- very easily traversable city by foot/bus/subway.
Downsides: Living with a homestay at the beginning was amazing and exactly what I needed to practice my Spanish, but by the end I was really wishing I had the freedom of living with other students and having my own space. Also, taking only classes at the University of Chile with other chilean students was an amazing experience, but very hard. Sometimes too much stress for what I was looking for.

Overall I am so thankful I chose this program. It is so difficult but one of the best programs out there if you actually want to be fluent in Spanish by the end, in my opinion. Would recommend.

Though Chile was not necessarily the first place that came to mind when I thought of going abroad, I am immensely grateful that I ended up there. Santiago is a lively, bustling city filled with all sorts of things to do--whether it be hiking, checking out a new cafe, art shows and performances--you can really find everything there. And beyond Santiago is an incredible country filled with incredible people and unbelievable places--the driest desert in the world in the north, glaciers and ice fields in the south, volcanoes and waterfalls and lush green landscapes in between, and so much more. And while just exploring the country itself would have been enough to make this an unforgettable experience, the people were also wonderful--I could not have asked for a better host family to live with and learn from during my time there. Not to say that it was without its challenges; the language barrier seemed insurmountable at first, the lifestyle and cultural norms weren't always obvious, and don't get me started on public transportation (though it's actually great once you get used to it). Perhaps that was even my favorite part; being somewhere was I was challenged each day, whether it be figuring out new ways to communicate or learning how to navigate my way around the city. It has inspired me to seek out those uncomfortable moments in my everyday life, to always search for opportunities to grow and learn, no matter how unattainable or awkward they may seem.

The CIEE staff is really friendly, encouraging, and attentive to help students with any troubles they're having. Somehow they matched the students in my program to their host families with extreme accuracy. I loved my host family! We had a ton of the same interests, took family vacations together on the weekends, and shared food and music from our home countries. They truly made the entire semester a million times more memorable, and I felt like a part of their family!

I could not have imagined studying abroad anywhere else but Santiago, and going with any other provider but CIEE. Santiago is the perfect city to get to know - it's large enough to have plenty to do and see, but small enough to not feel overwhelmed. Santiago has a very easy-to-use metro system, and the culture and history of the city is fascinating. CIEE provided a much-needed support system while I studied abroad. The staff members (Elsa, Patricio, Claudia) did a great job introducing us to Chilean culture, taking us on trips throughout the country, and being there as a resource for each and every student. I got lucky with the fellow students on my program, who were all wonderful and I remain friends with many of them to this day. This particular program allows you to take classes at three different universities: la Católica, la UDP, and la Chile. I took classes at la Católica and la UDP, which was great as it allowed me to see two distinct sides of Chilean society. Taking classes in Spanish with Chileans can be frustrating if you dislike group projects or hate when teachers and students arrive to class thirty minutes late. However, it forces you to go outside of your comfort zone and makes you become a better student. I had a great host family for the most part, but had issues with one of my host sisters that made me consider changing families (I ended up staying with them for the whole semester). Overall, studying with CIEE Liberal Arts in Santiago was one of the best decisions of my undergraduate career. It is a very challenging experience, and you will still suffer culture shock, homesicknesses, and various frustrations. But if you keep an open mind and stay flexible, you will learn so much, develop a global mindset, and will most definitely fall in love with Santiago. I can't wait to go back and visit!