What made you want to spend your summer in Chile?- I had wanted to study abroad for a long time and I knew that this summer it would be especially difficult to find a job at home in Michigan so I began doing some research into abroad opportunities. I knew I wanted to travel in South America, since I have never been, so I began researching the various programs. I had three programs to choose from: Peru, Argentina and Chile. I heard from several people that Chileans are very welcoming and that Chile is a beautiful country, and I have found both statements to be true!
When did you arrive in Chile, how long will you stay?
- I arrived here on June 18th after an overnight flight from Dallas and will be here until July 25th after spending a total of 5 weeks with my host family.
Where exactly are you living now? Will you be traveling anywhere else?
- I am living in a small apartment with my host mom and sister. We live in Chorrillos which is an area of Viña del Mar. Viña del Mar is a city on the Pacific coast of central Chile. At the beginning of my trip I spent 4 days in the capital of Chile, Santiago (see pic of Lauren with the Santiago skyline above). Tomorrow, I will take a day off from classes and travel north by bus to La Serena for the weekend. When I leave Chile, I head to Peru for 6 days to hike the Incan trail to Machu Picchu with my parents and my brother who are meeting me in Cuzco, Peru.
What does your normal day look like?
- A usual day for me consists of waking up at 8:30am, fixing myself breakfast, and taking the metro into Vaplaraíso, where I take classes at the Pontifical Catholic University of Vaplaraíso. In total it is about a 20 or 25 minute commute. Then I have classes from 10:00-1:15 and after that I eat my lunch with friends at the International Studies Abroad office across the street from school. After that I usually explore Viña or Valpo with a few friends or on my own and then return home. I do whatever homework or studying I have to and converse with my family. We eat dinner and talk until we head to bed.
What has been the best part of your trip thus far?- The best part of my trip so far has been getting to know my host family; I have a mom and a sister who is 23 (see picture below). My sister’s boyfriend spends a lot of time at the house as well. Spending time talking with them is usually the best part of my day; they are all so sweet! One night I went Salsa dancing, which was really fun but very difficult to learn! And I love walking around, exploring new places, and observing my surroundings!
What has been the most challenging part of your trip thus far?- The hardest part is the fact that my brain is constantly functioning, trying to translate everything I see or hear and speak in Spanish; its exhausting! I remember the first morning at my home-stay, I had just rolled out of bed and was on my way to the bathroom to brush my teeth and my mom asked me if I had slept well. And I was speechless for a minute when I had to think about what she said to me and reply in Spanish when I was still half asleep!
Are there any things that you miss from the U.S.?
- I can’t say there is much I miss! I love it here! I do wish, however that the air was cleaner and there were more places to run and exercise safely. And I guarantee that I will never again take for granted central heating in the winter! (July is their coldest month since our summer is their winter.) It doesn’t get much colder than the 40s but when the only place you can warm up all day is in bed with a hot water bottle (“guatero”), you definitely appreciate how lucky we are to have heating!
Is there anything else that you'd like to pass on to your teammates or other blog readers?
Is there anything else that you'd like to pass on to your teammates or other blog readers?- I have had such a wonderful experience and wouldn’t trade it for anything! I encourage everyone to study abroad if you have the chance. And to those of you studying abroad this fall: I hope you enjoy it as much as I have! I’m excited to see you all back at school and on the field!
