Answers to Common Questions after studying abroad

Most people I know know I've studied abroad.

If you didn't, you are most likely a teacher or not my friend.

The hard part for people is knowing to which country I went.

You do not earn points for saying South America.  Basically the only two typical places for a person who studies Spanish at Penn to go to study abroad are Spain or somewhere in South America.

You get a point for saying Argentina or Peru.  It is funny that people even think of Peru at all because Penn does not have a study abroad program available in Peru.  However, in my head, if the country you guess is touching the country I went to, then it counts somewhat.  Minus a point for saying a country that is in South America but does not touch like Bolivia, Colombia or Uruguay.  Minus ten points for saying a country in South America that does not speak Spanish (Brazil, Guyana etc).

Ten thousand gazillion points for if you hit the target on the first try.  Yes, I went to Chi Chi Chi Le Le Le--Chile.  Cueca yes, Tango no.

You get minus five hundred million points for asking me if I studied Spanish in Chile.  How am I supposed to answer that?  All my classes were in Spanish.  I did not take a Spanish language class in Chile because it is the equivalent to one in the U.S. save a few chilenismos thrown into the mix.  But I took all of my classes in Spanish because that is what Penn requires.  Hint: if someone went to Spain or Cuba or Mexico or Costa Rica or Argentina, they took all their classes in Spanish too.

Am I fluent?

I can speak better.

Would I be mistaken for Chilean with my Spanish?

No, but even if I were a Chinese Chilean person with perfect Castellano or Chileno, they would think I was from China or Korea...or Japan (Sorry to the other countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia etc.  I don't know if Chileans know you exist, but then again, it is hard for them to understand the Chinese American thing too.)

Did I have the most fantastic, amazing, life-changing time ever?  Was it super fun?

If I gush to you, I am faking, acting and lying.  Chile was amazing.  Chile was life-changing.  But being abroad in Chile was at times really hard.  Some days and weeks, I was insecure, sad, lonely, worried and most of all, extremely frustrated with myself, the people and the culture.

Would I go back?

You betcha.  I am flying back to Chile in the next 9 years before my reciprocity fee expires. Anyone want to join me?