Author: Rico Cajigal

Back to Business

The first few days back from Chile were pretty rough. After getting home around 3, I spent 13 of the next 15 hours sleeping, most of which was unplanned. It took me about three days to unpack all of my stuff. I’m grateful for every second of the trip, but it was hard getting back Sunday evening and not even having a full day to recover.

Going through my daily routine Monday felt bizarre. The cold wind and rainy overcast was a most fitting welcome back to Ohio. I found myself in a state of wander, subconsciously awaiting the voice of Sergio to direct me. Sadly, those directions never came.

Looking back, every day of the trip was it’s own adventure. It seems like we were there for way longer than a week! The amount of activity crammed in to everyday was truly impressive, but that did tend to come with a lack of sleep. I’m glad to be back home where water and bathrooms are free, but I do miss the amount of cheap ice cream we regularly had access to. I’m glad to be back in my own bed, but miss waking up the Bryan’s face every morning and a hot and ready breakfast just down the stairs. Although it’s nice to back home, I will treasure the memories and friendships that were made abroad.

O’higgins Skatepark

While in Santiago, I was able to visit a couple of skateparks. Buscamente was the preferred one, a large street plaza with boxes, rails, a few ramps, and a great social atmosphere. We were able to interact with many locals there. The park had a tricky flow, but we got used to it.

Another skatepark I visited was in Ohiggins park. It was very very oriented, with bowls and larger ramps. However, the upkeep was poor. Concrete was chipping and many spots and litter made it difficult to ride through many parts. The park had a couple features Buscamente lacked, but collectively Buscamente was the preferred park given its location, simplicity, and atmosphere.

A sketch of the parks layout from one corner.

A photo for reference.

The Sea Was Angry That Day My Friends

One of the last sonnets Pable wrote in his home in Valparaiso. Pablo compares the bond he and his wife share to various things in nature, implying a deep and pure connection.

Spending the day at Valparaiso was possibly my favorite day yet. From seeing the street art to swimming in the ocean, I felt like I really got to experience some of the best things the city had to offer. We even stopped at a sandwich place Anthony Bourdain ate at!

Sandwich from the shop Bourdain stopped at. It had ham, bacon, onion, peppers, and a fried egg.

It was actually my first time seeing the Pacific Ocean period. I heard it would be cold, but I had no idea what I was getting into. A couple of us ran into water at the same time with no idea how cold it would be. My body felt like it went into shock; I had never been in water that cold. Sergio wasn’t playing around.

I didn’t have high expectations for the two hour foot tour, considering it pushed back lunch. I was pleasantly surprised however, and really enjoyed the street art that I saw. It was colorful, confusing, and I felt like each piece told a different story. Between dodging dog poop and keeping up with the group I was still able to get some cool pictures.

My favorite stop was the house of Pablo Neruda. It’s interesting to see the space hat he actually existed and worked in. The things he surrounded himself can give an insight to the influences of his thinking and in a sense the decorations of his own mind. The view from his house was great, but what was inside will stick with me most.

Feeling Less like a Tourist

Today some of us got to go to a market near Baquedano, just by the metro stop. There were food stands, street musicians, dogs, and even some breakdancers entertaining the cars stopped at the red light in the crosswalk. It was really exciting, and you could tell most people were just going on about their daily business; totally mundane. I wish my everyday life walking to work or home had this much excitement. I was able to buy some nice souverniers for my family, and even haggle with a few vendors!

We also had the chance to visit a skatepark in Bustamente. It was awesome! It was full of locals, we tried hard to fit in with semi success. The park was pretty basic but still a blast. I got to interact with a few locals, mostly apologizing for almost running into each other. There was heavy traffic all throughout the park and you really had to be aware. It was a good time.

One thing I’m noticing is all of the street art around here. From the bus graffiti to the public murals, this city is bleeding with artistic expression.
This interesting piece was seen on a tourist info center near Baquedano.

The Hills have Rides

As someone who loves heights, I got a real kick out ofriding the cable car. Myself and the folks in my car started taking pictures as soon as we started moving, but quickly realized they only got better the higher we went. Pretty soon we were high enough to see the whole city. The view was incredible! It was also fun trying to wave at the people riding back down. Most waved back! But I think it was also good for us all to get a glimpse of the poorer side Santiago. On trips like these its easy to focus on the food and fun, but I think it’s very important for us to be aware of how a large portion of this population is living. You can tell a lot about a society by the way it handles its poor. What we would consider “poverty” in the states doesn’t even compare to here.

I sent my mom this picture and she was mad at me for riding something so high up.

Riding the funicular back down was also pretty cool. A car passed us on the way up and no one waved! It’s been a very exciting first few days, and I’m excited to see what we’ll learn next.

Pre-Departure Thoughts

For the entire semester it seemed that this time was so far off, but now it’s suddenly here out of nowhere! I put off a lot of my packing, but I’m really not bringing as much as I thought I would be. This surely means that I am forgetting something, so I can’t wait to get to the hotel and figure out what.

As someone who gets motion sickness, I’m really not stoked for this ten hour flight. I’m hoping to cop a window seat and just sleep the entire time to be fully rested for when we land. The furthest I have flown is Mexico, so this will certainly be a new experience for me. I’m always ready for that airline food though.

One thing I hope to get a lot of in Chile is different foods. Latin American food is common within my family, but I hope to experience some things that I have never seen before. Similarly, I’m excited to compare and contrast the Chilean culture to what I’ve experienced with my family and in Mexico. The potential learning that can go on this week is limitless. Although I’m nervous about getting sick or lost, I’m sure that this trip will be a great success for all of us.

Rico Cajigal; Man, Myth, or Legend?

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Hey everyone,

My name is Rico and I am a junior in Early and Middle Childhood Studies. I am the second of five children in a biracial home; my dad is Mexican, my mom is white. The photo is of my youngest sister and me mini golfing (I won). We were raised in good ol’ Grove City, a suburb 15 minutes southwest of OSU. I originally went to University of Cincinnati to study actuarial sciences, but realized very quickly that I wanted something more fulfilling and interpersonal. Now I want to be a middle school math teacher. I currently work at the circulation desk in Thompson library, as well as being a parking valet on the nights and weekends. I really enjoy music, art, television, humor, skateboarding, lights, big & fast movements, and magnets. I like to play bass and guitar, as well as climb. Hot Rod is also my favorite film.

Although my major is childhood studies, this trip seemed very interesting to me and will be something I can tell my future students about. I have been to Mexico to visit family a hand full of times, and am excited to see another Latin America country and practice my Spanish (it’s pretty bad). I hope to improve my sketching skills and gain some basic knowledge about architecture. My experience from valet parking has also sparked an interest in traffic flow theory and road efficiency, which I’m looking forward to seeing in Santiago. Can’t wait to see how it all goes!