Submitted by Kaleigh Wieand on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Chile sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures…
The first week of our program in Chile has been a whirlwind, to say the least. With a flight cancellation delaying the start of our journey, the first full day was exhausting and overwhelming. We were in a completely new city speaking a different language everywhere we went after over a full day of traveling and unexpected hotel stays. But as crazy as everything was at the start, the city is so beautiful and our host family has been so hospitable and welcoming.
It’s strange to see how close nature is to the city, as you can see mountains everywhere you go in Santiago. And not just small hills – actual, huge mountains that intimidate me with their size and powerful appearance. While it wasn’t a huge mountain like those surrounding the city, we climbed Cerro San Cristóbal, which, with the help of our wonderful guide, gave us a fantastic new perspective of the city. We could see everything from the summit, including the silhouette of the larger mountains on the outskirts of the city. However, we have learned that not everyone in Santiago has the privilege of enjoying the greenery. The presence of these trees, parks, and other natural wonders marks a physical manifestation of the socioeconomic divide between the north and south regions of the city. We are staying in a more affluent part of Santiago, so we have not had the opportunity to see how different the city looks for its less wealthy residents. It fascinates me that there is such a stark and visible divide within the boundaries of one city, but I suppose there are similar barriers in the United States.
I have very few experiences to compare to being in this city, as cities like New York and Philadelphia don’t have this many natural sites and are not this clean. Santiago’s metro system runs like clockwork, there is barely any trash on the streets, and there are beautiful parks all over the city. So far, I have loved every new, exciting, and sometimes exhausting minute in Santiago and I am so excited to see what else the city has in store for me.