After a 5 day orientation program in Olmue, a small town in the mountains of Chile, the 35 other Americans in my Study Abroad program (COPA through Butler University) and I anxiously awaited our names to be called to meet our soon to be Chilean families. With the sound of my name, I was warmly welcomed into the arms of Mama. As we drove away in her VW, she spoke the majority of the time while I did my best to piece together the few Spanish words I could pull from her sentences. Chileans add their own twist to the Spanish language with unique words and endings. For example, the word -po is added to the end of words signifying familiarity. At first, such Chilenismos make the language difficult, but they soon become second nature.

Upon arriving to my new home, my Chilean Grandmother, Father, Brother and Sister greeted me just as warmly as Mama. They showed me around the house and then we sat for the evening meal, known as once, consisting of fresh bread with butter from the panería down the street, mashed avocado, ham, cheese, scrambled eggs and juice. How lucky I was to have such a loving family that took me in for 6 months as one of their own. I soon became comfortable living with the Castros in Viña del Mar, a beautiful city on the coast of central Chile about two hours north of Santiago.

While I spent the majority of my first few months learning Chilean ways, I soon became accustomed to my daily routine of class in the morning, the large family meal at 2pm, and returning back to school for afternoon class and then home again for once. Micros, the public buses that run throughout Chile, became my main source of transportation. Colectivos, the taxis that run specific routes and pick up others along the way, although a bit more expensive than the Micros, were my other means of transportation. I attended la Universidad Católica de Valparaiso in Valparaiso, the neighboring city to Viña del Mar. Though it was reassuring to have the safety net of my Study Abroad program (40 other Americans to speak English with), I truly experienced Chilean culture through my peers and host family.

Some of my fondest Chilean memories are the nights that I went out dancing with my Chilean brother and his friends, ending the evening with a completo, a hotdog loaded with at least 10 different toppings, including avocado and sauerkraut. Although I could never dance as well as the Chileans, it was fun to try. My favorite part of every day was the afternoon family meal in which the whole family would gather around the table to enjoy whatever Juanita (the maid) cooked. I would sit and mostly listen to conversation about current events and everyone's plans for the day. Then afterward everyone would return to their bedrooms for a quick rest before returning to work or school. Juanita also taught me how to cook all of her Chilean specialties, including empanadas, baked dough around a mixture of meat, seafood, or cheese in a taco-like shape.

While everyone's experience varies depending on their host family and friends, Chile's unique geographic shape along the coast of South America offers diversity like no other country. My host family's home was in the hills of Viña overlooking the beautiful ocean. Viña's spectacular beaches have turned Viña into a resort destination for many Chileans. The Atacama Desert covers northern Chile while the mid-region is known for its' natural lakes and volcanoes. To the south is Patagonia and Torres del Paine National Park, a hiker's paradise with beautiful scenery and world famous hiking trails. Such diversity makes traveling very appealing and the tour bus system allows traveling to be accessible and affordable. I spent numerous nights sleeping on 12-hour bus trips traveling to the different regions of Chile. Neighboring Peru and Argentina, although may require a plane flight, provide additional traveling destinations such as Buenos Aires or Maccu Piccu.

Studying abroad gives you the chance to choose to live anywhere in the world for 6 months. I chose to study abroad in Chile to learn the Spanish language and experience a new culture. While I could have fulfilled these goals in any Spanish speaking country, I never imagined all that I would gain from my Chilean experience. In my first few months in Chile, I noticed a sense of nationalism that many Chileans expressed toward their country describing all that Chile had to offer; by the end of my 6 months in Chile, I too shared such feelings, thanks to the kindness and hospitality given to me by my Chilean hosts.

Sincerely,

Colby Bishop

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