I plan to stay a semester in Chile, where the instruction is taught in Spanish. I took Spanish in high school and some of my early years in community college (consistently for 3-4 years). However, I would say I didn’t gain much from that part of my experience. Still, maybe I should consider that growing up with my father, I was always around the Spanish speaking community. Unfortunately, I didn’t pick it up in my childhood.
Anyways, I have been taking upper division Spanish for 2 consecutive quarters at UC Davis. I plan to continue 2 more quarters of Spanish until I head to Chile.
So my question is… what was your experience like in UCEAP, where all classes of instruction were taught in the native language? I am curious to know how the mixture of culture shock and immersive language experience affect the educational aspects? Any advice to offer? I have been abroad before… just really looking to find some people who can provide insight on this particular issue.
Thank you! 