My biggest decision criterion for the semester abroad was the Spanish language and since you will often still have the opportunity to travel to other European countries such as Spain, it was clear to me that it should not be. However, since the department of my university of applied sciences does not have a partner university in South America, I decided to organize it through Collage Contact. It was all very easy and quick. After my first appointment at Collage Contact, all I had to do was decide which university I would like to go to, fill out a form and submit a copy of my ID card – that was it. I was informed of everything I wanted to know.
A visa is not absolutely necessary for Chile. In the meantime I have traveled to Bolivia and then stayed for 90 days again. Since I knew that I also wanted to travel, I planned my return flight from Rio de Janeiro accordingly and also tailored my vaccinations (hepatitis A, B, typhoid, rabies and yellow fever). Many lost time and money as they had to travel back to Santiago for the return flight.
Living / living
My girlfriend and I have already arranged for a room in advance. In retrospect, I have not regretted it, as I met so many lovely people and good friends there, but there are advantages and disadvantages to this house, so I cannot recommend it 100%. The house is called casa1060 and also has a homepage. The landlady, Patricia, also lives in this house, which is a major disadvantage as she has many rules, many of which are superfluous. For example, you are not allowed to drink alcohol in the living room during the week or watch a film after midnight. We lived in this house with 18 students and we all got on really well, so that together we “circumvented” the rules. Another disadvantage of this house was that, like many Chilean houses, it had no heating. The first two months it was so cold that we slept there with several pants, sweaters, blankets and hot water bottles. So it is better to inform in advance. My girlfriend also lived in a large house with many international students – Casona – in my opinion, I can recommend this house better. Both houses are located in Providencia, a beautiful and secure area and not far from the university (20 minutes on foot), the city center or the party area. Metro stations are also very close. Supermarkets are also relatively close, at least within walking distance. Food prices are at least as expensive as in Germany, but mostly more expensive. Cosmetics are also very expensive (e.g. shampoo € 4, cream € 5).
University life
There are countless universities in Santiago, but everyone knows the Universidad de Chile. The university has a really good reputation. The area is relatively large and the building is new and well equipped – computers, printers, group rooms, cafeteria, work rooms, etc. I took 4 courses. Each course here in Germany corresponded to 6 credits. I have taken Human Resource Management II, Viniviticultura, Latin America in World Affairs and Intercultural Business. Viniviticultura was the only Spanish course. The professor is really very nice and speaks slowly and clearly. In terms of workload and difficulty, I can recommend Latin America in World Affairs and Intercultural Business. Even if the level at the university is not extremely high, it is difficult to get a 7.0. The examination performance is different in each subject. There is also a midterm phase, because I was lucky and didn’t have a midterm subject, I was able to travel to Bolivia during the semester. You have an 80% compulsory attendance, whereby the professors support it if you want to travel internationally. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take a Spanish course at the university because it overlapped with other subjects. As a German I had to get used to the organization and the constant changes at the university, but Stephanie, who is responsible for the internationals, always helped. because it has overlapped with other subjects. As a German I had to get used to the organization and the constant changes at the university, but Stephanie, who is responsible for the internationals, always helped. because it has overlapped with other subjects. As a German I had to get used to the organization and the constant changes at the university, but Stephanie, who is responsible for the internationals, always helped.
Party / culture
In addition to Miercoles Po, the big international student party on Wednesday, there are a lot of other ways to celebrate in Santiago. Reggaeton is what you will definitely hear very often. There are organizations that offer many promotions for foreigners. In addition to parties, there are also ski trips, hiking, salsa courses, etc. Of course there are also numerous museums (free for students on Sundays), cinemas, markets and other exhibitions.
Travel
Only afterwards do I realize how beautiful Chile is. Skiing in the Andes, sandboarding in San Pedro de Atacama, surfing in the Pacific in Pichilemu, climbing an active volcano in Pucon, seeing glaciers in Torres del Paine, etc. After my semester, I went to Argentina as well as the south of Chile, Traveled to Uruguay and Brazil. But even if you don’t have the time, inclination or money to make a big trip afterwards, there are countless possibilities for small excursions around Santiago, as you can easily and cheaply go anywhere in Chile by bus. If you do want to travel to neighboring countries, that’s no problem at all. The jungle of Bolivia is definitely to be recommended, those were the best 2 weeks of the whole stay abroad!
For information about Chile and South America, please visit businesscarriers.
Conclusion
Chilean Spanish is definitely difficult, but it is possible and also very funny. Chile is a great country to travel to and the Universidad de Chile has a great reputation. But South America is still very European, which can be a bit boring, but on the other hand it is also safe. In addition, you always have the opportunity to travel to neighboring countries. All in all, I really miss the time and the people and can only recommend doing a semester abroad in Chile!
