It feels so weird being back in the United States after being in Chile for the week. The first thing that I noticed was how cold it was and how dark and gloomy the atmosphere felt. As soon as I walked off of the plane, I could feel my joints tighten up from the cold weather. The atmosphere is just so cold and dark compared to the sunny warm days and colorful lively streets of Santiago. Sadly, I think that I have jet lag or I am just plain old sick after the flight from Santiago to Texas. I’ve been drinking plenty of water and getting some sleep but I still feel so sick. I have lost my voice and I keep on sneezing and having to blow my nose. Hopefully, I just need to readjust to the cold weather and I’ll be able to feel better soon. Overall, I really miss Chile and wish that I was still there. Although I missed the people that I care about back home, I much rather prefer the culture and food of Chile. I miss going out late for dinner and exploring the sustainable architecture of the city than having to deal with real life responsibilities at home. Although, I was ready to leave by the end of the trip (hot, grumpy, and tired), after being well rested I want to go back. The trip was also very beneficial to practicing my Spanish skills and I was able to learn some new words that I am able to bring back and use in my Spanish classes. All in all, I am really happy that I went on the trip and I loved learning about sustainable architecture by interacting with the buildings in person, rather than just learning about them through a picture and explanation.
Author: Christianna Dyer
Days 6&7
Sketch of Santa Teresa from the Cathedral
My favorite parts of day six were the walking tour and also the trip to the beach. It was really cool to see all of the graffiti and drawings on the buildings. It’s a lot different to see businesses and residences covered in street art when I don’t see a lot of it back in Columbus and especially back home in the suburbs. The bright colors of the street art really complemented the bright hues buildings that stretched the hills of Valparaíso. The trip to the beach was actually a lot more fun than what I expected. I thought that the water was going to be a lot colder than what it actually was. I’ve never been to the beach where the waves have been so strong. My friends and I later that night went to Giratorio, a fantastic restaurant that had a rotating floor and piano player. It was kind of expensive but I honestly love eating all of the nice food that Chile has to offer. I was really happy that we were all able to go to the Cathedral of Santiago today after we weren’t able to go inside the other day. The Cathedral of Santiago was beautiful. I was surprised to see that there wasn’t a lot of stained glass. I’m wondering if this is because of the earthquake problem or just the style of the cathedral. The Museum of Memory had a lot of heavy material but I think that it was really well done. The exhibits were very simple which I find important when the material is very complex and heavy. Dinner tonight was not my favorite, however I feel good to be staying in tonight to get some work done before my free day tomorrow.
Buckeyes in Santiago
My favorite part of today’s adventure is that we were able to explore the PUC Lo Contador campus. It’s cool to see how different other schools are compared to Knowlton. My favorite part of the campus would have to be the stair design in different buildings. The use of different materials for one stairway was very common among the buildings that we toured. The yellow and red stairs also contrasted with the neutral stairs around campus. I was really impressed with the auditorium space and loved how the seats were bleachers. For some reason I’ve never thought to use bleachers for a lecture hall space but it truly is a good idea to get the most use out of an area. One thing about Santiago is the variety of different trees and plants that can even be found in the city. Some of these plants are a lot different than the ones that we have in the U.S., however I was far too familiar with this buckeye tree. Brett found the buckeye tree on our way back to the hotel from Lo Contador by seeing stray buckeyes on the sidewalk. It was good to see a taste of home and to know that there is some luck with us on the trip.
Stairs near Lo Contador library
Brett holds buckeyes that we found on the street.
Day 1&2
Fountain at Santa Lucía
Santa Lucía Hill
Ever since we arrived in Chile, I feel like I’ve constantly been on the move. The first day that we arrived, I really enjoyed riding the cable car up Cerro San Cristóbal. It was great to see a great view of Santiago the first day that we arrived. Although I did not enjoy the dinner at Mamut with my friends, going out at night and enjoying the night life was really fun. I was told that the discotheque that we went to, subterraño, is the closest thing to bullwinkles in Chile. Today’s events did not excite me as much as yesterday’s. I was kind of bummed that we were not able to visit the cathedral however I know, and hope, that we will be able to fit some time later on in the trip. The thing that I struggled the most with during this day was the different diagrams and sketching of the plaza and streets. I feel like there was just so much information that I just wasn’t able to get. I thought that one of my favorite buildings that we would visit would be the cultural center, however this isn’t the case. I’ve been falling in love with the landscape and my favorite place that I have visited so far has been Cerro Santa Lucía. The vegetation and view there was absolutely gorgeous.
This trip has allowed me to really practice my Spanish. I’m surprised how well I’m doing even though there is supposed to be so much Chilean slang. I feel useful when I’m able to translate for my friends and help them order food. Now, I’m most excited to see elemental projects and visit the beach.
Pre- Departure
I am currently writing this post right before leaving to show up at Knowlton. I seem to always be doing things last minute, just like my packing that I finished five minutes ago. It’s hard to pack and get ready to travel abroad when you’re scatterbrained and unorganized like myself. I tried making a list to help me pack but honestly nothing can help me with the way that I am. I don’t want to sound like a baby, but this is the first time that I’m traveling out of the country without my mom and it’s making me a little nervous. She always has things under control and has everything packed and organized and I usually just have to be along for the ride. It feels a lot different to have to be doing everything on my own, but it does give me some comfort going with a group through school and especially a couple of my close friends.
The one thing that is really stressing me out about this trip is the theft and fraud issue. I understand that this is a problem anywhere, but I’ve never had an issue in the past while traveling abroad. I will make sure to be extra careful with my belongings because I am worried but there is still that risk that something could happen. I’m most excited about seeing the different museums, street art, and different foods. Although I am a vegetarian, I have faith that there will be some delicious culturals meals that I can try. I’m also really excited to be going to the beach during some of my free time. I haven’t been able to go to a beach in probably three years. My Greek skin just doesn’t tan as well here in the states like it does in other parts of the world.
Christianna’s Bio
Hello, everyone! My name is Christianna Dyer and I am a freshman studying architecture. I also plan on minoring in Spanish which is one of the reasons why I am interested on taking this trip. I’m from Kettering Ohio, where I live with my mom and Yorkshire Terrier named Sammy. This study abroad trip will not be the first time that I have had the opportunity to travel outside of the United States. I often travel to Greece over the summer to visit my family and have been blessed with the opportunity to visit Athens, Santorini, and Crete.
In my free time I love to go to concerts, go shopping, or stay in and eat a whole Adriatico’s pizza while watching a Quentin Tarantino movie. My favorite shows include Parks and Recreation, Portlandia, and The Office. I have a huge love for Michael Cera, along with a coffee addiction that I can’t seem to shake off. While in high school, I performed in many plays and musicals while also participating in choir and orchestra.
Along with having an interest hispanic culture, I am also very interested in environmental science and sustainable architecture. I’m really excited to see some of the projects by Elemental and Alejandro Aravena in Santiago that focus on sustainability. I can’t wait to travel with all of you, this will be an amazing trip!
Christianna’s Selfie
Two truths and one lie:
- I’m the only child in my family.
- Celery is one of my favorite foods.
- I’m a huge fan of country music.