I still can’t believe we are in Santiago, Chile. It’s been just over a week, and I still have to pinch myself every time I wake up in this beautiful city. From the never-ending sound of the city to the vibrant colours and expression of art on the streets, it is simply breathtaking. While I take these moments to absorb the world around me, I must admit this week has felt like the longest week of my life. So much has happened in such a short time frame. It already feels like it’s been a month. Every day is jam-packed with adventure and new experiences. While it has been incredible, it has also been a little overwhelming and exhausting adjusting to a new lifestyle.
The city is hustling and bustling, with people everywhere you look. You always have to be alert to your surroundings. Riding the metro is an experience in itself; people crammed everywhere shoulder to shoulder, and they could tell we were foreigners by how we gripped our bags. You also learn pretty quickly to say excuse me in Español when riding the metro; a thousand ‘permisos’, and you should be fine.
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC Chile) is such a beautiful campus. The architecture is very modern and industrial, contrasting nicely with nature everywhere. So many trees provide a nice spot for shade in the heat of Chile, which is another difficult thing to adjust to!
I have really enjoyed our first week of classes and workshops. It has been very interesting to notice the difference in language used for specific terms and how people think about concepts. I am learning something new every lesson, which is great!
I loved meeting other international students who attended some of our classes. It is eye-opening to see their different perspectives, and we are all learning from each other. The exchange of knowledge is impacting me and a reminder of the privilege we all carry to share our stories with one another.
I feel so special knowing that I am representing little Aotearoa wherever I go, and I can’t wait to keep exchanging our perspectives and knowledge. I’m looking forward to the next few weeks of classes and field observations and hope to continue to learn more!
One week down, three more to go woohoo!
xoxo la chismosa