Latest posts from the group
- Hola desde Chile
Flying into Santiago was incredible, nestled between the snowcapped Andes Mountains and Chilean Costal Range. Upon arrival, I felt a sense of excitement and nervousness. Javiera, Kathleen, and Margarita from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile welcomed us at the airport…Continue Reading Hola desde Chile - Explorando y adjustando – Exploring and adjusting!
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…Continue Reading Explorando y adjustando – Exploring and adjusting! - Warm beginnings in Chile
Shannon Mihaere. Rangitane o Tāmaki nui a Rua. Ngāti Porou. Ngai Tai ki Tamaki. Waikato Tainui. I acknowledge the land I am living on as that of the Mapuche people who through their lived realities of colonisation have noticeably felt…Continue Reading Warm beginnings in Chile - Making Ourselves at Home in Chile
At first glance, Santiago can feel extremely far from our Pacific homes. My first thought of the city as our LATAM flight flew over majestic mountains was, “Where did the Moana go?” The Island gurl in me is still adjusting…Continue Reading Making Ourselves at Home in Chile - Campus Tour: San Joaquín, UC Chile
Come with me to discover Universidad Católica de Chile’s San Joaquín campus!…Continue Reading Campus Tour: San Joaquín, UC Chile - Being comfortable with being uncomfortable
Tūwhitia te hopo, mairangatia te angitū – feel the fear and do it anyway! This whakataukī has been a constant in my teenage years, and was particularly important during my first year of University last year. Over the past week,…Continue Reading Being comfortable with being uncomfortable - Connecting in Santiago Week 1
Reflecting on my first week in Chile and writing this blog has made me imagine a theme or something to organise the disparate excitement, chaos and confusion that comes with being in a new place. Going overseas to another country…Continue Reading Connecting in Santiago Week 1 - Santiago, Chile: At the foothills of the Andes
Magnificent mountains that tower in the sky. This was my first impression of Santiago which reminded me of home. I find comfort and nostalgia in seeing mountains, which was the main feature in my hometown in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and…Continue Reading Santiago, Chile: At the foothills of the Andes - As the unfamiliar becomes familiar
It has been a little over a week that we have been here in Santiago, Chile, and I can’t believe how much has changed already. Upon first arriving here, this city overwhelmed me. The heat made my head spin, the…Continue Reading As the unfamiliar becomes familiar - Culture, Healthcare, and Self-Reflection
Hola from Santiago! This week has been jam-packed with lectures, field observations, a workshop, and a welcome ceremony at the New Zealand Embassy as we settle into our new home. Highlights Thursday: We attended a captivating lecture on clinical strategies for…Continue Reading Culture, Healthcare, and Self-Reflection - Diversión al sol
It’s been just over two weeks since we landed in Santiago, and I’m falling in love with the city each day. I finally feel like I have adjusted to the lifestyle change and climate. Every day, we wake up to…Continue Reading Diversión al sol - Humanity and healthcare on the other side of Te Moananui-a-Kiwa
Tangaroa – God of the sea, and all creatures that live within it. The moana heals. My Dad hails from Whaingaroa, where Tangaroa surrounds and protects us and our beautiful rich history and whakapapa. My Mum grew up in Taranaki…Continue Reading Humanity and healthcare on the other side of Te Moananui-a-Kiwa - Day in My Life | Summer Exchange Student in Chile
Today we toured a medical centre as part of our clinical observations. After class, we explored a local barrio and had dinner together!…Continue Reading Day in My Life | Summer Exchange Student in Chile - Out into the Gardens Week 2
This week at UC Chile, we left the classrooms to learn out in the world. Reflecting on the week, I can only explain it as reaching out. Reaching out beyond the confines of classrooms and exploring the outdoors. The week…Continue Reading Out into the Gardens Week 2 - The poutokomanawa of a Chilean hospital
Rangitane. Ngati Porou. Ngai tai ki Tāmaki. Waikato-Tainui. From observing the medicinal herbs grown in the university gardens, walking the wards of the hospital, to the shores of Valparaiso – it was a whirlwind week filled with beautiful experiences. On…Continue Reading The poutokomanawa of a Chilean hospital - Reckoning with Language
I’ve been thinking a lot about language recently. Whether it’s being taught innovative ways to string together Chilean slang words (no further details will be provided on this, for fear my blogging rights get revoked), trying to work out what…Continue Reading Reckoning with Language - Beyond the Classroom
Another week in the heat of Santiago as we delve deeper into learning about the Chilean health system! This week, we took our learning outside of the classroom and immersed ourselves in various settings connected to well-being. After a seminar…Continue Reading Beyond the Classroom - Exploring Chilean Healthcare, Culture, History, People, and Nature
This past week has been very full-on but equally inspiring and enlightening! We started off the week with a class on One Health, which is an approach of attaining sustainability and balance of health through the idea that the health…Continue Reading Exploring Chilean Healthcare, Culture, History, People, and Nature - From Viña del Mar to the Andes
Mari mari from Santiago! This week has felt both grounding and challenging as we visited Viña del Mar and Valparaíso, went hiking in Parque Natural Aguas de Ramón, went rafting in the Andes, learned about ethnicity and health care in…Continue Reading From Viña del Mar to the Andes - Toitū te whenua, toitū te tangata
I acknowledge that the land I stand on is the rightful territory of the Mapuche people. I recognise my position as manuhiri (a visitor) on this land, and write with the intention of honouring the tikanga (protocols) of the Mapuche…Continue Reading Toitū te whenua, toitū te tangata - A centring of Mapuche worldviews in healthcare
Shannon Mihaere. Rangitane o Tamaki nui-a-rua. Ngāti Porou. Ngai Tai ki Tamaki. Waikato-Tainui. Mari Mari Kom pu che – Hello to all the people! First and foremost, I acknowledge the 11 indigenous groups here in Chile whose knowledge systems are…Continue Reading A centring of Mapuche worldviews in healthcare - Our Connected Worlds Week 3
This week, we had the privilege of learning about diverse Indigenous groups in Chile in various contexts. These included in the classroom, at traditional Mapunche community houses or Ruka, an Indigenous-led health centre and through our visit to the Ministry…Continue Reading Our Connected Worlds Week 3 - Understanding, Education, and Worldviews
Our third week in Santiago, Chile, began with an amazing set of lectures on Indigenous worldviews and healthcare. These lectures gave us an important overview of the historical and current contexts of the different indigenous groups in Chile, mainly focusing…Continue Reading Understanding, Education, and Worldviews - ‘Mari Mari’
“Mari Mari” means “Hello” in Mapuzungun, the Mapuche indigenous language This week has been a rollercoaster of unexpected emotions. I have cried and laughed in spaces I never imagined and connected with people I would have never met without this…Continue Reading ‘Mari Mari’ - Negotiation and Reflection
It’s been a long week. Maybe the longest so far, but all for good reasons. As I try to make sense of the abundance of experiences, emotions, and relationalities that have been held within this week, the theme of negotiation…Continue Reading Negotiation and Reflection - The Moana connecting the Pacific to Chile
This week was a reminder that Indigenous peoples worldwide remain interconnected through Tino rangatiratanga! We started the week learning about the eleven indigenous communities recognised here in Chile by the amazing Dr. Gabriela Pina. Her lesson explaining the ‘processes’ involved…Continue Reading The Moana connecting the Pacific to Chile - Intercultural Learnings: Remembrance and Resilience
Hola chicas y chicos! Last week was full of emotions as we finished our Intercultural Approaches to Public Health course at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Below are highlights from our final days. Highlights Friday: This morning, we had a seminar…Continue Reading Intercultural Learnings: Remembrance and Resilience - Ka kite… ano.
Kia ora! Although this is my final blog in the Prime Minister’s Scholarship schedule, nothing about writing this feels ‘final’. Over the past week back in my tūrangawaewae, I have missed the sites, atmosphere and experiences I had in Chile;…Continue Reading Ka kite… ano. - Supermarket Tour: Santiago, Chile
- Chile: Reflecting on a life-changing month
We have now been home for just under a week. It has been a chance to catch up with family and friends, swim in the awa, and return to the garden. It has also been a chance to begin reflecting…Continue Reading Chile: Reflecting on a life-changing month - PMSLA: A Series of Life-Changing Experiences in Chile
We started off the final week in Chile with a workshop looking at interculturality and creating our own diagrams on what different aspects make up interculturality. It was a good activity to help collate all the skills and topics that…Continue Reading PMSLA: A Series of Life-Changing Experiences in Chile - Agradecida
It’s been a week since we left Santiago, and I’ve felt many different emotions. You would assume a week is enough time to process one’s feelings and return to everyday life, but it is not. I’m feeling blessed, joyful, sad,…Continue Reading Agradecida - The emotions of leaving Chile
Shannon Mihaere. Rangitane O Tamaki Nui-A-Rua. Ngati Porou. Ngai Tai ki Tamaki. Waikato-Tainui. It has been over a week since we landed and crossed the waharoa into Aotearoa. At every turn the month of Kohitātea exceeded my expectations. The manaaki—from…Continue Reading The emotions of leaving Chile - An ending, of sorts
As I sit here at my desk reflecting on the month that has been, it seems almost impossible to articulate everything I felt, and lived. Yet, although the dust has barely settled on our time in Chile, already I find…Continue Reading An ending, of sorts - A Talanoa to Return Home
Our final week in Chile came around too fast! As we prepared for farewells and did the last few things on our Chilean bucket lists, our group also prepared our final presentations. Wednesday was our final day of the Intercultural…Continue Reading A Talanoa to Return Home - Amelie’s Top 10 Tips to Stay Safe and Have Fun in Chile
Hola everyone! I thought I would share some of my top tips for students travelling to Chile/ some things I found helpful while preparing to travel and while in Chile. I hope these tips are helpful! Have fun in Chile!…Continue Reading Amelie’s Top 10 Tips to Stay Safe and Have Fun in Chile - Hasta Pronto Chile
Kia ora from Aotearoa. I have arrived safely back after the most spectacular four weeks in Chile! My final three days in Chile was filled with ups and downs as we made the most of the time we had left…Continue Reading Hasta Pronto Chile