Nicolas in Chile

What was your main motivation to go abroad?

My main motivation for going to Chile was definitely to improve my Spanish. I had already learned Spanish at school and had also spent a stay abroad in Ecuador. Nevertheless, I was still not really satisfied with my Spanish. Now, I still cannot speak proper Spanish – but I can speak Chilean. ;)

What were your biggest concerns?

I think everyone has concerns before they move to a completely foreign country for half a year. The fact that this country is also at the other end of the world didn’t make it any easier. I was particularly unsure about safety and crime – although I had already been to Latin America, it had mostly been in touristy, smaller places, not in a metropolis of 10 million people. To be completely honest, some of my concerns did turn out to be justified. It’s just not Ulm. Chile definitely has issues with crime, yet in the end, it’s like anywhere else: don’t walk alone on the streets at night, keep an eye on your belongings in public transport, and always trust your gut feeling. Then you can embark on the adventure with a clear conscience.

Would you recommend a stay abroad? Why?

My semester abroad was the best time of my life – I got to meet so many amazing people, see so many beautiful places, and find a second home at the other end of the world. I believe those are three very good reasons.

What did you take away from your time abroad?

What I took away most of all was to live in the moment. At the beginning of the semester abroad, many people who have already experienced it tell you: “Enjoy your time! It goes by faster than you think!” In the first two weeks, you just shrug it off, until suddenly you realise that six months have simply flown by. At that exact moment, you are the happiest person in the world if you went to the bar anyway, still went hiking over the weekend even though you were exhausted from the day before, and booked that short trip, even if your wallet could barely afford it.

Were your expectations met?

As you may have already gathered from my other answers, my expectations were more than exceeded. Chile is a beautiful country and offers so many opportunities: from the driest desert in the world in the north to huge glaciers in the south. The people are incredibly warm and hospitable. The only thing that struck me a bit at the beginning was the peculiar Spanish spoken in Chile. But even here, I got used to it relatively quickly and now even find it pretty cool.

Is there anything you would like to highlight about your experience abroad?

What I hadn’t realised before my semester abroad was how many opportunities I would have to travel. Thanks to a break in the middle and at the end of the semester, I had the chance to visit other countries from Chile. These short trips with friends I had just met made my semester abroad truly unique.

More impressions and information about Nicolas' experience abroad can be found on Instagram (opens in a new window).