The important things first. If you fancy an unforgettable and unique semester abroad, Chile is exactly the right country for you. In addition to the exciting life in Vina del Mar, it is above all the trips that take your breath away and stay in your memory. But let’s start from the beginning…
Preparation and MicroEDU
In January I decided to do my semester abroad in Chile, so I applied to Universidad Vina del Mar through MicroEDU in April. The acceptance came about a month before the start of the semester in Chile. Obviously a bit annoying to get the approval so late, but that has less to do with CC than with the fact that everything is planned a little later in South America. So off to the plane and after a 32 hour flight I arrived in Chile. The finding accommodation on site is very simple and if you take 3-4 days to find a good apartment at a reasonable price.I shared my apartment with a Chilean and a French and paid € 300 a month. It can be a little cheaper, but the apartment was also very modern and well located.
Overall, the organization of the semester abroad with MicroEDU was very easy and successful. It was just a bit annoying that we found out on site that the semester fee was around € 500 more expensive than we had all expected. Unfortunately, at the time of our application, the tuition fees on the homepage had not yet been updated. The whole thing should be fixed by now. Otherwise I was very satisfied with the organization and when I had questions, they were always answered quickly.
University
The University of Vina del Mar is one of the largest universities in the city. Since I only took courses in English, I was mostly not on the main campus but on the international campus. The courses are relatively easy by German standards, but some are still very interesting. I would recommend taking more courses at the beginning of the semester and then picking the best ones. Especially with regard to absenteeism, if you would like to travel a bit during your semester.
Life in Vina del Mar
In general, life in Vina is really great. During the day you can pass the time on the beach and at night you can experience the nightlife in Vina or the neighboring Valparaiso. There is also a small beach 10 minutes away from the university, where you can relax a little between lectures. On the whole, the city is also very safe. In Valparaiso you should be a little more careful and not necessarily stumble through the area alone at night.
Important! At the beginning of the semester (WS) it was sometimes very cold because the houses are hardly insulated. So it’s best to take some warm things with you. But in the course of the semester it gets really warm. Since Vina del Mar is one of the more upscale places in Chile, the cost of living here is about the same as in Germany.
Life in Chile
Chile is a beautiful country and if you decide to spend the semester here, I can only advise you one thing: Travel as much as you can. During my semester abroad I went on a lot of trips and made unforgettable memories. Due to the location and good flight connections, you can travel almost anywhere from Chile.
For information about Chile and South America, please visit hyperrestaurant.
For example, I’ve been to the Atacama Desert, Bolivia, Peru, Patagonia, Pucon, Argentina, Piquilemu and many other exciting places.
Adventure seekers and nature lovers in particular get their money’s worth here.
The best thing to do is to keep a few weeks off after the semester and save a little.
(It is important to choose the right course at the university, otherwise you will have problems with absenteeism)
