Author: Brooke Heidenthal

Departure

Overall my experience in Santiago Chile was amazing. My family told me before I left that this would be a trip of a lifetime and it truly was. This trip exceeded all of my expectations by far. My favorite part about this trip would either have to be the free day or Santa Lucia. On the free day I went hiking. The views were amazing and we saw so many cool things. At the end of the trial was a waterfall that we hung out in for awhile but we also saw some cool things along the way such as wild cows and lizards. This was my first time seeing big mountains too which was an exciting experience and some views I will never forget. Santa Lucia also took my breath away. The long trial up to the top had some cool plants that I had never seen before and everything was so colorful. Once we reached the top we stood up there for a long time and just soaked up the views. There was also a man playing the guitar up there and it was so peaceful. This trip was one of the best trips I have ever been on and is one I definitely will never forget!

Santa Lucia

Wednesday Adventures

Wednesday was my favorite day of the trip so far. It exceeded all of the expectations I had. The views were unbelievable and everything was so colorful. My favorite thing about Valparaiso were the colors that were present there. I’ve never seen anything like it before. The walls were not normal colors and they also had a lot of graffiti on them. This is what made them so distinct. Every single wall had something unique on it and was so interesting to look at and analyze. The people of this town don’t see a lot of the stuff on the walls as graffiti, instead they think of them as art. This made for an amazing experience on our walking tour.

This is a sketch of the hill at Bellavista

Another part of Wednesday that I really enjoyed was going to the beach. The beach was absolutely amazing. From the hot sun and the warm sand to the cooler winds up on the hill, it was perfect. The sun was ever present wherever you were on the beach. This made everything so much happier and more enjoyable. We walked up to the board walk and bought some juice and candy. Everything here was so enjoyable and I hope this continues throughout trip.

 

This was a huge palm tree that I saw on the side of the hill at Bellavista

Wednesday’s adventures!

Wednesday was my favorite day of the trip so far. It exceeded all of the expectations I had. The views were unbelievable and so colorful. My favorite thing about Valparaiso was the colors that were present there. I’ve never seen anything like it before. The walls were not normal colors and they also had a lot of graffiti on them. This is what made them so distinct. Every single wall had something unique on it and was so interesting to look at and analyze.

Another part of Wednesday that I really enjoyed was going to the beach. The beach was absolutely amazing. From the hot sun and the warm sand to the cooler winds up on the hill, it was perfect. The sun was ever present wherever you were on the beach. This made everything so much happier and more enjoyable. We walked up to the board walk and bought some juice and candy. Everything here was so enjoyable and I hope this continues throughout trip.

Phones in Santiago

During this trip one thing I’ve realized is the people here are never on their phones. When you walk through the Ohio state you see a lot of kids walking while on their phones. Some people have their headphones in and listen to music, some people are texting, and some people are chatting on the phone. Here everybody is involved with what is going on around them. They do not text or open their phone wile hanging out with other people. I think it creates a better atmosphere because they give their undivided attention to one another and truly enjoy each others company.

Another thing I found very interesting is that they do not live at their school. The only time they see each other is during the day so they really enjoy their time together. This may be why they don’t use their phones as much but it was interesting to see. When we told them that we live at our school they were all so shocked and couldn’t comprehend the concept that we stay at school. I didn’t realize that it wasn’t the normal to do this. I find it very interesting to see the difference between cultures and I am looking forward to observing more differences!

Day 1

My first days here were amazing. I knew this trip was going to be awesome the second we walked out of the airport and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The bus ride to the hotel got me very excited and I enjoyed seeing the neighborhoods a little further out.

My favorite thing we did yesterday was take the cable car up to the top of the hill. The views from the cable car exceeded all of my expectations. I am a little afraid of heights but the views were worth it. They were unlike anything I had seen before.

View from the cable car

A very interesting experience I had yesterday was going to the grocery store. I was trying to get very basic foods so I could pack sandwiches everyday because of my allergies. Trying to order meat from the deli was very interesting so I just had to point and hope for the best with whatever meat I was given. We all got some interesting looks but overall it was a funny experience. At the grocery store we came across Twistos which I recommend every has once. By the time we all got home the two bags were gone. So far my time in Chile has been very fun and I am looking forward to this week!

Pre-Departure

This past week has been extremely busy so I am writing this as we wait to board our plane to Dallas. This week has been very busy finishing up projects and scrambling to pack. Now that it is all over I can finally get excited for the trip that awaits!

As much as I love Ohio State I cannot wait to get away. The only thing I am not very excited for is the plane ride. The longest plane ride I have been on was 6 hours and I thought that was terrible so I am not looking forward to this flight. I absolutely cannot wait for is the first step out of the airport into the warm air. Nothing puts me in a better mood than bright sunshine and warm weather.

I am very excited to see the different landscapes, the mountains, and the coast. On our free day I hope to make it back to the ocean. Another thing I am very interested in is the street art that was mentioned in class. Street art is something that fascinates me so I am very excited to see this. Now that the crazy week is done I am finally getting excited for the trip that is about to start in less than a hour!

Brooke’s Bio

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Hi, my name is Brooke Heidenthal. I am a freshman and plan on majoring in Landscape Architecture with a minor in Humanitarian Engineering. I was born in Columbus, Ohio and have lived here all my life. In my free time I enjoying doing anything outside. During the warmer seasons I am constantly outside going on bike rides, hanging out in the park, or walking around exploring random places with my friends. I have been very fortunate to be able to travel overseas quite a bit. I competed in the World Championships of Irish Dance six times so I got to travel to many places such as London, Glasgow, Dublin, Belfast, Montreal, and many more. On all of these trips I had some free time to explore but these places were all very similar culturally. This is what made me want to go on the Santiago trip because I feel Santiago will be very different from the places I have gone to. I am very excited to see a different way of life and a part of the world I would not normally travel to, especially in a way related to what I am studying.

Brooke’s selfie

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I have a dog named Dude.

 

 

2 Truths – 1 Lie

I love to be outside and explore places with my friends.

My favorite place I’ve traveled to is Glasgow.

I have competed at the World Championships of Irish Dance 6 times.