Zvoni and Romina have been great hosts. Zvoni helped me carry my luggage up the stairs when I arrived. They are very knowledgeable about Santiago and gave helpful advice on the places I planned to visit. They also informed me of local cultural, musical, and art events in the area. I recommend the art event Kontrabando. They invited me to share meals and celebrations with them, making me feel like a part of the family. Amelia, their daughter, is very smart and a good Spanish teacher.
They have a beautiful home that is comfortable and functional. The living room area is beautifully decorated. The kitchen has all the appliances I needed to cook my meals. They gave me space for my food in the fridge and pantry. I had no problem cooking my meals. The private bathroom is in a hallway near the kitchen. They provide towels and starter toilet paper and soap. The shower is in the main bathroom. The water gets hot and has good pressure. The bedroom is true to the pictures. They have added a whiteboard and a map of Santiago and metro stops. They also have lots of tourist books about Chile. During the winter it can get cold inside the house. They provide a space heater that works well on warming up the room and a feather comforter that did an excellent job of keeping me warm through the night. I suggest slippers for when walking around the house and gloves for when outside of the house. There is an elevator to the apartment but I have never used it because it's only about four flights of stairs.
There are 2 smaller supermarkets right across the street and a butcher shop a few spaces down. Being in central Santiago means that you are close to all your buying needs. The metro lines 5 and 2 are about a five-minute walk (if that) from the apartment. Line 5 runs directly to the school I study at. I was worried that a 30-minute commute was too long but after asking other students that is a relatively short commute.
Zvoni and Romina have done a great job of helping me transition to my life here in Chile. I recommend their home to any exchange students looking for a place to call home for a semester. Thank you for a pleasant stay!