Viña del Mar is my place

I studied abroad my sophomore spring semester with AIFS in Viña del Mar, Chile. I chose this program because I liked all that was included, such as their excursions (wine tasting, museum visits, Santiago trip), the school I would be attending, and the homestay. It was all at a great price too which was the perfect combination. I had heard when I was choosing where to go that Chile had some of the hardest Spanish in the world, so if I could learn it there I could speak it anywhere. That was correct. Although I didn't learn as much because I hung out with the Americans a bit too often, it was such a good challenge. One of my favorite parts about the program was the advisor. He was so helpful, especially at the beginning during the transition. He set up conversation hours with local students, and most importantly set up a bi-weekly soccer match. We got to get some exercise and meet cool locals! I'm so satisfied with this trip and would absolutely recommend it. This was my first time ever leaving the country and AIFS took such good care of me. As for the location - try somewhere besides Europe! Vacation there down the line sometime, but if you want a serious cultural experience, South America will give that to you.