About Housing
Ms. Violeta Núñez is the housing coordinator. I must underline that her performance as such was excellent, which is another evidence of the outstanding administration of Prof. María Luisa Figueroa.
Host families working with OIIE are carefully screened by Ms. Núñez, who also organizes workshops prior to the arrival of foreign students. During the program she is in permanent contact with each family to address any problem or specific situation that could arise. She was also in touch with me periodically to know if I had any comments, suggestions or complaints. We did not have any problem or difficulty to deal with during the length of the program. On the contrary, host families of our students were really happy with them and vice-versa. The OIIE also provided each of our students with a free cellular phone that they turned back at the end of the program. Ms. Violeta Núñez’website is http://www.violetanunez.cl.
Families were irreproachable. All of them belong to the Chilean professional middle-class. Our students were placed in apartments and/or townhouses since houses in Viña del Mar are located mainly in surrounding areas of the city, far from downtown or in distant neighborhoods from UVM campuses. Most of our students had to use public transportation to go to the university due to the urban configuration of Viña del Mar, but this situation did not present any problem whatsoever. Public transportation in Viña del Mar is excellent.
On top of this, Chilean host families were very responsible and affectionate towards their guest students. It was very common to see Chilean parents taking our students to the OIIE building or waiting to drive them back home when we returned from our trips. It was also initiative from the families to organize get-togethers with them and also a farewell party the last week of the program. Undoubtedly, a strong bond was created between our students with their host families.
It is noteworthy the fondness and affection that all of them reflects towards their families on their evaluation of the program.
Written by:
Dr. José Promis
Academic Director
Summer Program 2005
University of Arizona at the UVM
