An Unforgettable Experience

I studied abroad in the wonderful Santiago, Chile for a full fall semester. One of the immediate differences you will notice are the seasons- they’re reversed from the northern hemisphere! That being said, my host mom paid extra attention when I first moved in to make sure I was warm enough at night and ate plenty of fruits so that I wouldn’t get sick from the sudden change in climate. And this was just one example of how cared for I felt in Santiago. The IES staff in Santiago also made me feel very cared for and looked after during my time there. From orientation where you learn everything from how to use public transportation to how to use Chilean slang, the IES staff members are there every step of the way to help you acclimate to the new culture and help you meet any unexpected challenges. Academically, I participated in the health studies program where I attended a class called “Spanish for Health Care Professionals” and observed health care professionals in a hospital setting. In class, we spent four months learning how to talk to people about nutrition, pain, and insurance as well as study vocabulary for different items that are found in a health care setting. During my four months, I never traveled outside of Chile, but I did travel to the northern region to see the driest desert in the world, the Atacama Desert, and get to backpack for 6 days in Patagonia’s Torres del Paine.