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 someone is saying to me when I have an interaction with a local, or noting…Continue Reading Reckoning with Language
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 Tuesday and Thursday we were given the opportunity to walk the grounds of two hospitals…Continue Reading The poutokomanawa of a Chilean hospital
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 consisted of hospital observations and getting insight behind the scenes, including things that I have…Continue Reading Out into the Gardens Week 2
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
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 sunny mornings and fall asleep to the incredible sunsets, which are very different to the…Continue Reading Diversión al sol
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 promoting breastfeeding. We discussed the benefits and the importance of an intersectional approach to promote…Continue Reading Culture, Healthcare, and Self-Reflection
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 language barrier left me reeling, and the lack of proximity to any sort of natural…Continue Reading As the unfamiliar becomes familiar
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 in Kyoto, Japan, where I lived before moving to Aotearoa. In Santiago, the distant snow-capped…Continue Reading Santiago, Chile: At the foothills of the Andes
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 is very much an act of disconnection, leaving a place that is entirely unfamiliar. Indeed,…Continue Reading Connecting in Santiago Week 1
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, this whakataukī has naturally integrated its way into our conversations and thoughts — it’s a…Continue Reading Being comfortable with being uncomfortable