Chile « OSU Abroad

Savannah Stanton studies Renewable Materials with a Spanish minor. She completed an internship in Concepción, Chile with the College of Forestry in the summer of 2016. Read on to learn what memories highlighted her experience:

The fire is alit and dancing with fervor, feeding off the energy that radiates throughout the small quarters of the living room. Biting air slips through with each greeting at the door, and bundled faces filter in, receiving me with warm embraces and cheek kisses. Countless dishes pass through the narrow breezeway from the kitchen to awaiting mouths as everyone claims a chair or spot on the couch, arcing out like amphitheater seating in front of the television. Our boxer Tara makes the rounds, weaving between bodies, wiggling with excitement and grinning from all the attention. Laughter and the embellishing of old stories fill the air like jumbled clouds—a clamoring cacophony for my untrained ears, so I focus more on visual cues to traverse this new terrain. The crinkle of crow’s feet, a deep belly chuckle, the uncanny resemblance between certain attendees.

Just two days prior I was thousands of miles away. Tonight my surroundings so foreign and yet, I know I am home. I know that my journey is just getting started, and this is the first page. Refocusing my attention outward, I see the hour is nearly upon us as my little sister ties the Chilean flag with care across the window for good luck, the TV is switched to the proper channel, and drinks are in hand. The Copa America final is here, and Chile plans to defend its title against Argentina! Viva Chile!

(Left to right) Younger host sister, host mom, Savannah

Last summer, I flew south for the winter and roosted in Concepción, Chile for a 10-week internship experience with Alto Horizonte, a forest products company that aligned with both my degree in Renewable Materials and minor in Spanish. My second evening in the country was spent cheering on the Chilean national team to its second consecutive victory in Copa America with my new host family—a family from another hemisphere that excitedly embraced my presence and residence for the next three months—and their relatives and friends. I had plunged into a vibrant, bustling culture, and as I walked from baggage claim to meet my family the night before, I had smiled with a hope that the current would carry me on a spectacular journey. Looking back on that first full evening in Chile, I find myself reminiscing the connections, laughs, learning experiences, and hardships that unfolded throughout the weeks to follow.

Weekend vacation to Parque Nacional de Huerquehue

From an academic standpoint, I of course learned a plethora of things: from in-country language skills and industry terminology (in both English and Spanish), to the company’s operations, how their sawmills process, how international commercial trade functions in purchasing markets across the globe, and Chilean business regulations, to name a few. However, what I’m reminded of over and over are the stories I heard and the conversations in which I partook. It was these experiences that continue to shape my interactions and understanding in nearly all facets of my professional and personal life. Stories are meant to be experienced, not just listened to. They provide a window into the lives of others, and good storytellers can reach into your soul and evoke wonder, reflection, and understanding.

For me, there was one coworker named Juan Carlos, and although introverted in every sense of the word, he became my ‘buddy’ at work, making sure that I always had someone to go out to lunch with, providing support and feedback on my projects for the company, and being generally interested in listening to my story and sharing about his country and culture in exchange. We spent hours each week discussing politics and government policies, historical events, literature and the arts, wars, science and astronomy, culture, favorite foods, languages, the minutiae behind certain slang phrases—you name it! He was a wealth of knowledge and sparked discussion over controversial topics between our fellow coworkers. He and my host family were such key parts to my integration into Chilean society, and were influential in shaping my holistic understanding and empathy for Chile. This family, these friends, and that company will always be a cherished part of my life, where I was introduced to a different perspective on the world and how things work.

Knowing what I do now about Chile, I’ll leave you all with this quote, written one day on the wall of the café we frequented for lunch when at the office in Concepción:

“It is far more important what you think of yourself than what others may think of you.”

It reminded me that this international internship was a chance for me to see how far I could go, and that the only limits that are imposed upon us are the ones we decide to apply. Live limitless and stray from the path on occasion. Sometimes that’s the only way we can see how far we’ve come and what might lie ahead!

To learn more about the international opportunities available, click here!

Karla Jofré Maldonado has always had a love for travel and adventure. Currently, she has the opportunity to share that love of people and culture with students as a Resident Director in Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, Chile. Through her position with Academic Programs International (API), she gets to inspire students every day.

What brought you to be a Resident Director?
I thought it would be a good experience for me because it sounded really exciting and new. I love different cultures and people so it seemed to be the perfect job, and it is!

What are some unique aspects of your city and country?
Chile is well-known for our wine, landscapes, and fresh food- but mostly for being very friendly people! The whole country is really interesting. We have five World Heritage Sites, officially named by UNESCO, and Valparaiso, where one our programs is located, is one of them!

Vina del Mar (another city with an API program) and Valparaiso are very different ‘siblings’ that complement each other well. The first one is a beautiful beach city full of life and good restaurants, while Valparaiso is a funky, street art capital with many cafes.

What is one thing most of your students may not know about you?
I played violin for 7 years. I stopped playing when I was 13 and never touched a violin again!

What are some of your favorite aspects of being a Resident Director?
I love sharing my knowledge of my country, people and culture with students while learning new things from them! I also love working with API.

What are some of the challenges of your job?
Sometimes students don’t embrace certain aspects of Chilean culture because they are afraid of trying something new. For example, they may prefer to go a well known fast food restaurant instead of trying local food. That is challenging because they want to feel at home by going to places they already know, but they are only making the process of leaving their comfort zone harder.

What have you seen as the biggest challenge for incoming students?
Overcoming anxiety when speaking Spanish. Typically, students know a lot more Spanish than they think, but they are so focused on trying express themselves perfectly that they don’t give themselves enough time to adjust to the language and culture.

What is your advice for students planning to attend your program, or to study abroad in your country?
Be open minded and understand that things abroad are not better or worse, they are just different!

It is ok not to know everything, but do some research before going abroad. Sometimes students forget that while it’s summer in the USA, in South America we are in the middle of winter!

What is one thing you think students shouldn’t forget to pack for life in your country?
I want to say hiking shoes because there is so much to do here, but I think that the only thing you really need for living in Chile is a good attitude towards adventure and new experiences.

What do you think is the most important take-away for education abroad students?
Be patient with yourself and others. Give yourself some time to adjust and let others do the same.

If you think that going abroad will make your problems disappear, think again! Your problems or daily inconveniences will be exacerbated by the fact you are far away from your family and friends.

You are here to learn, but that process includes mostly learning about yourself.

To learn more about attending Karla’s program, check out this link!

Rhiannon Williams is a senior at Oregon State University. She is in the College of Liberal Arts studying Spanish with a minor in Psychology. She spent a semester with IFSA Butler in Valparaíso, Chile, improving her Spanish skills, taking literature, history and culture classes, and volunteering to care for animals affected by a forest fire. Here she tells us about her journey learning Spanish, and her path to realizing that fluency does not happen overnight.

Half way through my semester abroad in Valparaíso, Chile, I experienced an important turning point in my journey. My host mother sat me down and asked if I was happy with my living situation. I never felt completely comfortable living with my host parents during the first two months in Chile but I could not pinpoint the issue. My host mother helped me realize that I had been coming across as aloof. I knew I had been very reserved in the beginning as I became accustomed to the new culture. I realized that I had put up invisible walls and did not communicate enough with my host family. The issue was how to become accustomed to living at home with a family while going to university. I was very familiar with coming and going as I pleased at university in the U.S without having to answer to anyone. Even though I lost some independence that I had in the States, I gained two caring host parents.

After that moment, I interacted more with my host family which boosted my happiness and comfort. I know that my timidity is a part of who I am, and awkward silences are sometimes unavoidable. At first I was upset that I may have wasted the first two months of my study abroad journey. Then, I realized that it was an incredible learning experience. Since then, I have been living by this quote: “Optimist: someone who figures that taking a step backward after taking a step forward is not a disaster, it’s more like a cha-cha”.

My constant struggle with the language Castellano (Chilean Spanish) closely ties with this. I would be so concerned about what to talk about in Spanish with my host family during meals that I would sit silently with thoughts whirling around in my head. I learned to just talk and not worry so much about making grammatical errors. Some days were easier than others and I could tell that my Spanish improved when I decided to just let things be.

I also had an internal struggle with English. I would feel guilty for conversing in English with my friends instead of practicing Spanish. I would then silently fight with myself instead of interacting with my friends. I put so much pressure on myself to reach a high level of fluency in Spanish while abroad. I realized that I would not magically become fluent and I needed to make peace with this. Every day I spoke Spanish, as well as English occasionally with friends. Although it was often difficult to see, my Spanish improved tremendously over the five months. It is most important to view the improvement from when I arrived to when I returned to the United States rather than compare myself to others, or wish that I were closer to fluency. So many people told me as I left the States that I would come back fluent in Spanish. I returned improved and more confident which is more important to me than the end goal. The journey is more important than the destination.

Recent College of Agricultural Science graduate Kasey Moore not only received a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from OSU, but also had the opportunity to study abroad twice during her college career. As a sophomore, Kasey traveled to Valdivia, Chile to study at La Universidad Austral de Chile for a term, and during fall of her senior year Kasey hopped on a plane again, but this time to Africa to participate in the School for Field Studies’ Wildlife Management Studies program. Now, having explored the world as an undergraduate, Kasey is embarking on her grandest adventure yet—traveling the world with Cavalia.

Most people find a job within their related field of study after they graduate from college. This is how I imagined my life after college would go, but things took an unexpected turn a couple of months prior to graduation. Instead of moving straight into a job within the field of fisheries and wildlife science, I will be running away and joining the traveling circus.

The show is called “Cavalia” and was created by Normand Latourelle, who was also one of the original co-founders and managing director of Cirque du Soleil. Cavalia is very similar to many of the other Cirque du Soleil shows, except for the fact that there are horses as well as acrobats in the performances. The main idea behind the show is to give tribute to the relationship between horses and humans and to document their place in history through an artistic and visually stunning performance.

I first heard about this job opportunity through an old friend of mine who I grew up riding with in the United States Pony Club. She is currently on tour with Cavalia and working as one of the team’s veterinary technicians, and in April she sent a post out on the Oregon Region’s Pony Club Facebook page advertising the position opening. This seemed like the perfect fit for me, as it incorporated the two things I am most passionate about: traveling and horses. I have spent most of my life around horses and involved in the world of 3-day eventing and dressage. My 13 years of involvement with Pony Club has allowed me to achieve all 10 certifications within the organization, and given me countless valuable skills for working in the horse industry. I have also been lucky enough to participate in two study abroad programs during my four years at Oregon State. The first was in Chile during my sophomore year, and the second was a program through the School for Field Studies in Kenya and Tanzania during my senior year.

Both my horse and travel experiences helped me to obtain this position within Cavalia, and now everything is becoming very real. I will be leaving for Brussels, Belgium two days after OSU’s spring commencement ceremony and begin my journey working for this incredible show! I will be working as a groom, meaning I will be taking care of the 47 horses that Cavalia has as they tour the world. Daily routines will include basic barn chores, exercising and warming up some of the horses before each show, and getting the horses ready for each of their evening performances. After the show ends in Belgium, our next stop will be Singapore, and then other major cities throughout Asia for the remainder of the year. Needless to say, I am extremely excited for this opportunity and to work with these talented horses and tour the world at the same time!

For more information on Cavalia and their touring schedule, visit: http://www.cavalia.net/en

Alison Blazer is an International Ambassador for the International Degree and Education Abroad office. Alison is studying Speech Communication and Spanish. During fall 2012, Alison studied abroad at Universidad de Bío Bío in Chillán, Chile through OSU.

Last fall term, I studied abroad in Chillán, Chile for four months. This program is OSU specific and gives Oregon State students the opportunity to travel with fellow Beavers and complete the entire second year of Spanish language courses in just 3 months. I had an incredible experience living in a new country, immersing myself in a new language and culture, bonding with my host family and classmates, and learning about myself. Throughout my time in Chile, there were several unforgettable adventures, but the most memorable of all was my emergency surgery.

A few weeks before Thanksgiving, I was experiencing a lot of stomach pain. The pain became so bad that I could do very little other than sit in bed, so I talked to my program director, my mom and host mom- all of whom thought it was probably appendicitis, but hoped it was something different. When I finally conceded that I had to go to the doctor, my program director immediately put a plan into action.

Less than an hour later, I was in the clinic with my Chilean grandma and a close friend of my program director. My program director was unfortunately in Santiago (about 4 hours north) for the weekend and feeling just about as helpless as my mom back in California. There was an hour and a half wait at the clinic, but luckily a surgeon friend of the program director met us outside and saw me immediately.

I saw the doctor at 5 p.m. and was scheduled to have surgery at 6:30 p.m. The next hour was filled with me frantically trying to get a hold of my parents in the states and figuring out what the nurses were asking me in Spanish. My dad had taken off for a fishing excursion in Shasta before knowing about my operation, so my mom and younger sister were left alone to worry. Thank God for Skype!

A few of my closest friends in my program came to the clinic as soon as they heard the news, and my host parents rushed back to Chillán from a neighboring town where they had been at a barbeque. Luckily everyone got there before I had to go into surgery. They were so incredible; helping to connect with my family back home, distracting me while the nurse put my IV in, and asked me what I needed from my house.

A little after 6:30, I was wheeled into the operating room with my Chilean host parents saying that they’d wait there for me and not to worry. In the operating room, I was moved to the operating table and then came the worst part…..spinal anesthesia. I’ve been under anesthesia before- once for an eye surgery when I was nine years old and again briefly for my wisdom teeth removal, but never in a million years did I think that I would be receiving spinal anesthesia. So picture this: I’m sitting in the OR with a team of about 10 people (surgeons, surgical nurses, the anesthesiologist etc.) all of whom are speaking Spanish and I get told that they’re going to stick a needle in my spine with no prior wooziness or drugs coming my way. Safe to say it was one of the scariest moments of my life. They kept telling me not to worry. I tried to explain in Spanish that I wasn’t worried about the surgery. It would be a piece of cake. My problem was the fact that they were about to stick a needle into my spine. But hey, what can you do? After the piercing pain of the injection, my feet immediately got super-hot and went numb and that sensation continued up my legs until I couldn’t feel anything below my chest. The nurses put a curtain up separating my head from the rest of my body and I was immediately concerned that they weren’t going to put me to sleep.

About an hour later, I woke up in the recovery room, unable to move my legs and extremely woozy. I was filled with relief- I had made it through surgery in South America, thank God! Not being able to move my legs was an unpleasant experience, but my nurses in recovery were so nice and asked me how I was doing each time I managed to wake up for a few moments before falling back asleep. This went on for about two more hours until I was finally taken back up to my room and immediately greeted by my Chilean parents.

After that, I spent a couple nights in the clinic to be monitored and get medicated via an IV. My host parents, my program director and my friends all sat by my bedside in shifts over the next few days until I was released and able to go home. The main priority at the time was just to fully recover—I was planning on traveling to Peru to see Machu Picchu one month after surgery. If that goal was to be reached, I would really need to lay low and recover at my own pace.

It’s safe to say that I never thought I would have surgery without my parents present, let alone in a different country. I owe so much to my program director, my amazing classmates and my fantastic host family who were all there for me 100% of the way. They pulled strings to get me to see a doctor quickly, sat by my bed before and after surgery, and told me not to worry. It’s fascinating to me that even when sleeping alone in a Chilean hospital, I felt comfortable and sure that I was receiving the best care possible.

I truly believe that there is no better way to learn about oneself and your own strengths and abilities than traveling abroad. Any experience abroad is bound to provide students with a new global perspective and the ability to grow and learn at a new rate by constantly challenging oneself. Personally, I am so grateful for the opportunity to have gone to Chile in the first place and now each and every day I think about my experience, my health and the amazing support system I have here as well as below the equator.

Carly Clark is a junior at Oregon State. She is majoring in History and minoring in Spanish. Carly studied abroad in Chillan, Chile, fall term 2012 through OSU: Universidad del Bio Bio.

Three months, four countries, and countless unforgettable memories later; I accomplished a childhood dream to study abroad. During fall term 2012, I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel abroad and study Spanish in the South American country of Chile. I traveled to Chile with 17 other students from Oregon State in search of life changing experiences and a unique opportunity to study Spanish in a native Spanish speaking country. What none of us expected is that we would create deep roots and a second home in Chile.

During my time in Chillan, Chile, I had the unique experience compared to the rest of the group. I arrived two weeks later due to my sister’s wedding. The rest of our group had two weeks to get use to the new surroundings, the language barrier, and ultimately settle into our new lives in Chile. At the beginning it was difficult, overwhelming and unlike anything I have ever had to overcome, but in the end it did not hold me back thanks to the help of my host family, friends, and our program coordinator. Through everything, I have created lifelong friendships and our group has become my second family. Our classes were very different than I expected. Our professors were very easy going, patient, and encouraged us to travel and to learn more about the Chilean lifestyle and culture.

The Chillan, Chile study abroad program offers students an unique opportunity to fulfill their Bachelor of Arts language requirements in three months, while learning about an entirely new culture in a foreign country. My initial intention to study abroad was to finish my second year of Spanish in three months, but what I did not expect to happen was to find a passion in learning Spanish and to continue my education working towards a Spanish minor. Oregon State offers a wide variety of study abroad programs with endless possibilities. I considered studying abroad in Spain or Costa Rica, but something stood out about the Chile program. When talking to the program coordinator, Lucia Robelo, and past program students, I could see how enthusiastic they were about the program – learning a foreign language and most importantly how their lives had changed. Chile had become their second home. In the end, I felt Chile was the best program for me, and I was right!

During my time in South America, I traveled to Argentina, Uruguay, and topped it all off with a trip to Machu Picchu in Peru. Buenos Aires, Argentina, the birth place of the Tango and some of the best vino (wine) y carne (steak) in the world. Six other students from the program and I ventured to Buenos Aires in early November. We spent a week in the country’s capital as well as a day in Uruguay. We drank the wine, ate the steak, danced the Tango, and experienced the Argentinean lifestyle. Uruguay was an unplanned day trip, but ended up to be one of the most memorable adventures I experienced in my three months abroad. Rounding out my three month stay in South America, two others and I traveled to Peru in early December to visit one of the 7 wonders of the world, Machu Picchu. After living out of a backpack for 7 days and hiking through the Peruvian rain forest in a straight down pour, we finally arrived at the city of Aguascalientes below the site of Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu was one of the most remarkable and breathtaking experiences of my life that I will never forget. Throughout all my trips, nothing was more important and exciting than meeting natives from the different countries I visited. I truly enjoyed learning about their experiences and culture.

On my last day in Chile, I was very excited to board the plane and begin the long 22 hour trip home to the U.S. After the plane left the runway, I knew I would not be saying “goodbye”, but “see you soon” to my Chilean family, friends, and my second home in Chile. In the future I hope to return to Chile to visit my Chilean family and friends, but until then we all have remained in close contact. My study abroad experience was like nothing I have ever experienced or expected. It was BETTER! I was emerged into an unknown culture, community, country, language, and overall way of life. I can proudly say I have grown as a person and have the utmost respect for other cultures in the world. I would recommend studying abroad to any student interested. It is not impossible!

If someone were to ask me when I was beginning my first year of Spanish if I planned to study abroad or if I would continue studying Spanish after I fulfilled my foreign language requirements. I would say it was very unlikely. However, the unexpected happened; I studied abroad in South America and I am currently six credits away from completing my Spanish minor. After my experiences abroad, my life and goals have changed for the better. I graduate next spring with a degree in History and a minor in Spanish. After all the life changing adventures I have been fortunate to experience within the last year, I have created one life goal for myself: to maintain my Spanish language skills.

Lucía Robelo is a Spanish instructor at OSU, and the Program Coordinator for the Chillán study abroad program offered by the Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures.

OSU students participating in the Chillán study abroad program spend the entire fall term in Chile, and some students spend additional 1-3 weeks traveling in Chile and South America during their winter break. Every year we have had 2-3 students who decided to stay longer, for one or two more terms in Chile. These students have continued being full time OSU students and received Financial Aid by taking online classes during their extended stay in Chile. A few students even decided to live in Chile for a few years! Chile has many things students really love. Many of them say that they have never been so happy when they are in Chile. During their stay, students gain confidence in their oral skills and also work on their writing skills. They learn a lot about the Chilean culture as well as about themselves and their own culture. Before departing from OSU, students are paired up with a compañero or compañera chilena, that is a Chilean partner attending the Universidad del Bío Bío, where OSU students study in Chile.

Tara Hermens and her two moms: her Chilean mom and her American mom who came to Chile to visit her.

Program participants are the best ambassadors. For many of them, this program is their first trip abroad on their own, without their family. In Chile, they are welcomed by their host family from the moment they arrive in town, and stay with them for the entire three months. Besides the language learning opportunities, host families provide the main cultural context in which the students will function. The bonds that develop between our OSU students and their host families are long-lasting. The program includes three excursions, and host families regularly take their OSU host children on outings during their three-day weekends. Other times students plan their own weekend with their compañeros chilenos. Every year, students consistently state that the highlight of their experience was the relationship they developed with their host family.

For OSU students pursuing Bachelor of Art degrees, this program is all they need to complete the B.A. language requirement. The program has proven to be a favorite choice for students completing their Second-Year Spanish at OSU.

Ashlin Kneeland at the Chillán market with a Chilean “huaso” (a Chilean man wearing the typical attire)

As the Chillán Program Coordinator at OSU, I teach the pre-departure spring orientation class. In this class, we talk about their fears and anxieties about their upcoming study abroad experience and ways of coping with them. Past participants volunteer as TA’s for the class by sharing their enthusiasm and stories from their own experience. Statements like “I never knew that learning Spanish could be so much fun”, or “This has been the best experience of my life” are repeated every year.

Caleb Green enjoying his coffee in southern Chile.

I am happy to say that every year, when I see my students upon returning from Chile, their Spanish has improved so much that they want to speak only in Spanish with me. I hear them talking about Chile with a big grin on their face, telling me how much they miss Chile (“extraño mucho Chile”). I feel very fortunate to be in this role. Those smiles are the best reward for me.

For more information, please contact Lucía Robelo, Program Coordinator, or visit the program website.

Read a blog entry by one of the Chillán program participant.

OSU Abroad

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Category Archives: Chile

To See How Far I Could Go

Meet a Resident Director: Karla

Turning Point: Learning to Cha-Cha

Life’s a Circus

A Surprising Surgery in Chile

Seven Wonders of the World

Study Abroad with FLL – Chillán, Chile

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