Submitted by Caroline Sullivan on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Chile sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures…
The aspect of my Chile LLCU program that I cherish the most is living with my host family. I’m currently taking SPAN475 and SPAN307, and living with a host family who speaks mostly Spanish is helping my language skills improve immensely. At first, I didn’t know what to expect about living with a host family and not being able to speak in English while at home. Anticipating the fact that I would be pushed out of my comfort zone and having to speak another language most of the time made me anxious. However, looking back on my anxiety now, I had little to be worried about considering my host parents are some of the most caring and understanding people I have ever met.
My host mother always thinks of what we need to be prepared for throughout the day before a thought even crosses our mind. Our dinner and breakfasts that we enjoy together are always filled with laughter while we learn more conversational Spanish and work together to understand each other. I couldn’t imagine experiencing this study abroad program without living with our host family. I am constantly challenged to improve my Spanish by forming connections, making jokes, telling stories, and relating on personal levels to my host family during every second that I am home. Our host parents also teach us so much about true Chilean culture. We bring back knowledge from the classroom and our host families explain the events that we learn about in even more detailed ways and give their own perspectives about them. I am so thankful for my host parents and this experience studying Spanish abroad in Chile… it is truly one of a kind.
