Valparaíso/viña del mar, Chile

Summer 2022 Study Abroad in valparaíso/viña del mar

Meet Anna!

Program type: ISA (external study abroad program) Click here for this program's website

Most time spent in: Valparíso and Viña del Mar, Chile

Length: 12 weeks

Semester/Year: Summer 2022

Year at GVSU when studied abroad: between Sophomore and Junior year

Background

I have always known I’ve wanted to study abroad in a Spanish speaking country. My mom studied abroad for a summer in Chile when she was in high school, and to this day speaks highly of her time there and living with a host family. She got to experience the world from a completely different perspective and lifestyle that she was use to, and I wanted the same thing. Because of my mom I have always had a large draw to go to Chile.

Example Day

A typical day would start around 8am. Wake up, get ready for the day, eat breakfast, and then walk 0.5 miles to the metro. I lived in Viña Del Mar, but my classes were in Valparaíso, so I took the metro Monday-Friday for classes. I had two classes per day each about an hour long with about 30 minutes in between the two. After both classes were done, normally around 1:30, I walked back to the metro and then walked back to my host family’s house. Almost everyday I would eat lunch at home because mamá cooked lunch for everyone. After lunch I had time to do homework, until mid afternoon when I would either leave for swim practice or an adventure with my friends. I joined a swim team while I studied abroad, and frequently went surfing which is how I spent the majority of my afternoons. Dinner is not a main meal in Chile, so if I was home for once I would hangout with my host family and sing karaoke at the table, or if I was out I would be watching the sunset at the local beach which was about a mile from the house.

Reflection

I went in to my study abroad with zero expectations. I left my study abroad with an entirely new outlook on life and the world. By the time my program ended I did not want to leave Chile. I had found a new home. My host family became my second family.

"My host family became my second family"

Challenges/Advice/Recommendations

Learning the country’s slang and dialect takes time, and it will be frustrating at times when you are trying to communicate with someone but simply do not have the words to do so. You can’t assume that whoever you are talking to also understands English, so looking words up is super helpful. However, if you don’t want to pull your phone out, explaining whatever the word you are trying to say will help the other person contextualize what you are trying to communicate.

"I am still in contact with my host family and have already tentatively planned my trip back to Chile!"

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Check out a video Anna made: https://www.instagram.com/anna_cornell/

If you have any questions about the program above or the experience of this page's author, Anna Cornell, specifically, feel free to contact her using the following email: corneann@mail.gvsu.edu

La Tertulia (GVSU Spanish Club)

This website is kept up by La Tertulia, the GVSU Spanish Club. This club gives students the opportunity to practice their Spanish and expand their knowledge about different countries where Spanish is spoken. Check out the La Tertulia Laker Link page for more details!

If you want to share your own experience studying abroad and be featured on this website to help future fellow students, fill out the following form: https://forms.gle/anqjj4d2tP5eQwWE9

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