Between Spain and Chile, which country would you choose to study aboard and why?

Question

I will be an AFS foreign exchange student in July and cant decide between Spain and Chile.
Spain is in Europe and in summer it is really hot, the spanish language originated from there. It is also diverse. It has lots of history and monuments and culture. Chile on the other hand is a famous for its length and being one of the southermost coutries in the world. In chile there is also lots of culture and monuments. there will always be Neruda.
The climate is quite cold but that doesnt matter. I cant decided which country to do study abroad. I have been to Europe 5 times but never once to South America or Central America. Okay maybe 3 times to baja California, Mexico but that it. What do you think?

Answer 1

I would suggest going to Chile. Although European nations are not all the same, you've been to Europe five times! You know what Europe is like. As a Latin American nation, Chile has rich culture and history that is much different from European culture. I personally like exotic and interesting locations, so Chile is more appealing to me. I think you will learn a lot more in Chile than in Spain, because the environment will be so new to you. After going to Europe five times, it should be starting to become familiar, even if you've never been to Spain. As an American, European history and culture has been shoved down my throat in school for many years, but nobody ever talks about Latin America, Africa, or Asia. I think they are a LOT more interesting than Europe, so I would have to say Chile.

Chile has my vote! Good luck wherever you choose, though!

Answer 2

Oh my gosh I am so jealous of you! I would love to have an excuse (and the money) to go back to South America. I loved both Chile and Argentina when I was there. The accent is a bit different in both countries. They say their "ll" with a "j" instead of a "y" sound in Argentina. I had a little trouble understanding the Spanish in Chile because it seemed like a lot of people dropped the last consonant off of words and I felt like they were mumbling .... that could be my mediocre Spanish skills, though!!! Both countries are drop dead gorgeous and the people tend to be incredibly friendly and easy-going. You mentioned that Argentina is a bit more European and that's totally true, so take it into consideration. The night life is SO great in both Santiago and Buenos Aires, although you'll probably have a few more choices in Buenos Aires. Bariloche (skiing/snowboarding) and Mendoza (wine country) are awesome in Argentina and I have always wanted to go to Patagonia, but I've never made it! Anyways, have a terrific time wherever you end up. I promise that you'll have fun in which-ever country you choose!

Answer 3

A friend of mine just got back from studying in Chile! Personally I'd go to Spain (I've always wanted to go).
However, if you've already been to Europe I'd say give Chile a try this time. The standard of living is kinda low, there are penguins and llamas, all night clubs, and get used to a diet of hot dogs (if you're not used to Chilean food!) I'd say it would be a wonderful experience and a culture shock (but isn't that what it is all about?)
PS. My friend mentioned that school was kind of a joke there because no one really knew the language. They just went to school during the week (did not learn anything) and then went on field trips on the weekends with their group (they went to a lot of cool places!). Good luck!