CIEE Gap Year Program in Valparaiso, Chile

  Chile

• Valparaiso: 
Valparaiso

Durations of Program: 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Dates: Fall 2007 - August to December; Spring 2008 - March to July; Academic Year - August to July (December to March excluded)

Description: CIEE offers US high school graduates a unique way to explore the world. A Gap Year Abroad with CIEE offers college-bound graduates an opportunity to acquire a broader global perspective, foster independence and gain self-knowledge. Students seeking to stretch intellectually, explore new vistas, develop leadership and become responsible global citizens are ideal candidates for a CIEE Gap Year.

Spending a year or a semester living with a family abroad, studying and improving fluency in a modern language and volunteering in the community or working as an English teacher will allow students to immerse themselves in every aspect of the host culture and give their academic goals perspective and purpose. Day and weekend trips and other cultural excursions will provide an important dimension to understanding historical and social aspects of the country.

A Gap Year Abroad opens doors to the student's future, bridging the high school world to the road that lies ahead. The benefits of a Gap Year will enable students to enhance their global education and uniquely prepare them for their college experience.

Highlights: GAP year host families will organize monthly activities to help students become better acquainted with the area. Visits to exhibits, museums, concerts, theaters, botanical gardens, beaches, the mountains and the nearby forest reserve are some of the planned excursions, as well as a day trip to the capital, Santiago.

Host Families, Language Classes and Community Service

Students live individually in private middle-class Chilean homes in Viņa del Mar and all meals are provided by the host families. Students take classes four days a week, with a minimum of twelve hours per week. Classes are small and students are placed in the level that best suits their experience.

Social service is required and GAP students are expected to volunteer 15 hours per week. Students may choose to support English classes in public schools, assist in public health organizations or work in youth shelters. One of the goals of the community service is to immerse students in the Chilean culture and encourage them to develop fluent language skills in a natural setting. The student's abilities, previous experience, level of Spanish fluency and emotional stability will help determine placement in volunteer work.

Cost in US$: Fall and Spring Semester: $12,950; AY: $19,250

This Program is open to American Participants.

CIEE's Mission Statement: Since 1947, the Council on International Educational Exchange, known as CIEE, has been in pursuit of its mission, "to help people gain understanding, acquire knowledge, and develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world." Our services to young people studying, working, teaching, and traveling abroad are more important than ever. As we look ahead, we reaffirm our commitment to the principles and values that guide this mission statement.

Year Founded: 1947