Universidad Alberto Hurtado

“Bienvenidos a Pensar” (Welcome to think)

It’s been about a week since classes officially started and I’m still on vacation mode. The classes are all in Spanish and even though I’m fluent in Spanish it’s still hard to understand because Chileans speak so fast that it’s hard to understand. I am studying in Universidad Alberto Hurtado which is the one and only Jesuit university in the downtown area of Santiago. It has about 6,000 students and offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate programs.

Universities here do not have residence halls, which means that you only go to school to be in class and then go home. Although this is a different style, students are still involved on campus and it always has a vibe of a college campus. Since it is a small campus, sometimes it gets crowded on the elevators, stairs, and the dining hall areas.

The food at the dining hall is pretty good with a variety of options to choose from. Although it doesn’t have a Starbucks, the cafeterias are pretty good offering different types of coffee and snacks. Tuesday is the only day that I eat at the university because I am there the whole day from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. I have two classes that are 3 hours long because it only meets once a day.

The professors are nice and welcoming as well. Since they know I am an exchange student, they always check up on me after every class ends to see if I’m understanding the content. And, they’re always available through email or after class for questions. I am the only exchange student for two of my classes and it feels weird being the “new” student since everyone already knows each other. But, they’re friendly and welcoming.

So far, it’s been good with taking classes at a new university. The transition is going smoothly, let’s see how it develops as the semester keeps rolling.

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