Author: Paola Medina-Gonzalez

More Wine, More Time! (Post-Departure Blues)

If the 50 degree decline didn’t kill my immune system, the surge of caffeine intake and lack of sleep that has come along with the restart of the semester just might. Good news/Bad news, the plants are alive but only by a thread. However, this isn’t what you’re wanting to read about.

Coming back to Columbus after fully immersing myself into the Chilean culture has been disorienting to say the least. If I thought switching between English and Spanish during our trip was bad, switching back to one full language has been even weirder. Between forgetting words for things, trying to pay for Starbucks in Chileans, or simply realizing I need to drive places, has made me miss the wonderful city of Santiago the last couple days.

It isn’t just about missing the cool sights we saw but missing the relaxing, Chilean culture. It was nice to be randomly stopped by a local and having a chat either in the metro or cafe. They would ask about the US and even ask questions that are considered social faux-pas! Being thrown back into Columbus feels chillier because the social interactions experienced abroad were so genuine and random! Here i’d be lucky to get hello out of my Michael’s clerk. As much as the trip was about learning the city, I find myself missing more the culture  I grew fond of the people quickly and I felt like I could’ve enjoyed at least one more day of the city. I wanna tell the piper on Guardia Vieja to go away one more time or be annoyed by the fifty-fifth “Helado-Hel-Hel-Helado” salesman!

Main point is, it’s been weird readjusting to Columbus after fully loving Santiago and it’s wonderful people. Sergio, if you’re reading this, I graduate this year! Tell your people to hire me!

#noshame

That homey, beach feeling

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Valparaiso and Viña Del Mar were more than I could have imagined. After a two hour bus ride there, we zipped up to the tops of mountains to get to Pablo Neruda’s house. It was gorgeous! It was an eclectic space made obviously for entertainment purposes. The house has small portholes on every floor which I really enjoyed. Also there was a sink decorated as of it was chinoiserie that I wish I could have photographed!
Next, Sergio walked us through a maze of streets out loads of graffiti. The street art was insane! Mostly the illustrations were of scantily clad women however, some murals contained bits and pieces of amazing art. The colorful Spanish style homes reminded me of Viejo San Juan back at home.
Following, we drove down to Viña Del Mar. I dipped my feet in the Pacific but it wasn’t don’t with me. The violent waves came and splashed all long the top of my calves. Thank goodness I hadnt gone for a swim! I also perused the markets alongside the beach and got some trinkets and things for the family. Overall, the day was fairly quiet and low impact which I really needed. I wish we could’ve spent more time but Santiago was calling.

Monks, schools, and parks! Oh my!

The sun has been unforgiving and the sights have been ever more wonderful. Our third day started off within a chilly, Dominican monastery. This was unlike any other church I had been to. Rather than having to traditional large panels of stained glass and the Latin cross motif, the modernist church was radical and anything but traditional. It’s sharp edges and small, strips of sunlight illuminated the bright, white walls of the monastery. One of my biggest regrets currently is not having gone inside the chapel. There was a small, rectangular window on the wall that allowed for the golden light from the monastery to shine through with no hints to its contents but a wooden cross on the chapel wall.
Next, we had the bus ride of horror to the Adolfo Ibanez University. The university was wonderful and beautiful however, that bus ride was reminiscent of the childhood error I faced when riding Space Mountain. Our driver deserves a medal; that man is talented and I now trust him with my life. I digress, Adolfo Ibanez’s Grad school and Undergraduate campuses we wonderfully beautiful. The white buildings clashed against the lush, dry Andes in a way that highlighted the architecture of the campuses. I remember preferring the Graduate school over the Undergrad solely because of the materiality within the campus. I felt that the Undergrad was very inconsistent with the relationship between the hallways and doors. This may sound like a small detail but it really drove me bonkers that the graduate school mimicked the wood of the railings whilst the the undergrad did not.
We had a lovely dinner at Mestizo and walked the Biccentenial Park. I was super full and exhaustedly waddling but nonetheless, enjoying the splendid landscape. Everything was so lush and smelled spectacular. I got to feed flamingos! And then ended the day by seeing the city from the highest building in South America…. Humble brag!

 

3/12/17 It’s hot with snow-capped mountains

Though we are technically not counting today, 12 March 2017, as day two, I am considering it as such. Arriving to Santiago after an arduous plane ride, we were thrown into a bus and shoved into the city. After being 9+ hours in a plane, the last thing I wanted to do was stay up and explore however, immediately, reserve energy coursed in through my veins and I ventured in. The snow-capped Andes invade the skyline and the funicular allowed us to feel it evermore present. Though, it was absolutely a scary to be that high, hanging on to a thin wire, the sight from the funicular was a site to be hold! The city was so large and majestic: it’s size multiplied the higher we went.
Then, we rushed on to the bus once more and made our way to Parque de Los Infantes.I wished I was a small child again! The slides, border inclosed play area, and the tree houses were unfortunately not made for 20-year-old-somethings who really, really wanted to run around. Even still, I went on the top most slide and went down. My tailbone is still very unhappy with me.
On the second day, we rode the Metro (which is incredibly clean and easy to navigate, take notes New York) to sight-see around. We visited old Spaniard buildings and learned some cool, hip places around Downtown Santiago. Next, we went to the Pre-Colombian Museum. The museum was everything I could have possibly asked for! Radj’s designs not only made the space wonderful but also respected the times within the building. Since these pieces are centuries old, direct sunlight could permanently damage these one of a kind works thus, the careful usage of light truly made the space art historian approved.
Next we toured Plaza de Armas. With the sun beating down on us harshly and the crowds multiplying as the hour passed, I cannot say enjoyed the experience very much. However, the space itself proved to be extremely interesting in layout. As well as with the occupying streets, the diverse architecture, usually fluctuating between contemporary and Neoclassical, presented itself to be an extremely interesting clash.
On our own, a group if us climbed to Santa Lucia and witnessed some exceptional architecture. The steps were absolutely horrible but the sight was something out of a fairy tale. Lastly, tonight we were Kennedy’ed some pizza and my stomach will hate me tomorrow; I ate as much as my body could hold.
I’ll report tomorrow after my pizza coma has passed.

 

Pre-Departure

As I have packed my bags and charged all my devices, currently, my biggest worry is my two house plants. It sounds crazy but, as a proud cacti-mom, the unstable Ohio weather and complete distrust in my family’s ability to lookout for my plants has me worried for their safe being.

Where Santiago is concerned, I cannot be more excited. I’ve never been to another Latin American country before and I am excited to hear Spanish again! Of course, food is always something worth traveling for and the amazing places we are going to visit is super exciting! The art in Santiago is sure to be interesting; since most of Chilean art doesn’t travel, it will be a rare opportunity to see it in person.

As this ten-hour flight is rearing its head, I grow less excited. Being closed up in a cabin for that long of a period of time is not ever a good time. I’m hoping all of my homework and readings can at least tic-away the slow passing of time. So for the meantime, I will keep romanticizing out trip and play pretend American Airlines is capable of hyperdrive.

P.S.

I rechecked the plants. I’m 99% sure at least one of them is gonna die.

Paola’s Bio

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My name is Paola (she/her) and I am a History of Art major with a minor in Architecture. I was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and grew up near the beach till I was nine and then moved to Florida. I was originally at the University of South Florida for chemical engineering but quickly realized that it wasn’t for me. Having always been fascinated by painting and sculpture, I transferred to OSU for History of Art and will hopefully be graduating this semester. I currently work as a barista at Starbucks and as an intern at the Columbus Historical Society. I have spent the last two summers in NYC and will be returning again this summer to work as an Senior intern at Columbia University. In other words, this year will be full of travel!

I’m very excited about traveling to Santiago because of the unique architecture within the Latin American contemporary. I’m interested in how the Chilean people interact with their environment and how these interactions shape the development of the city and its aesthetics. I’m looking forward to seeing the role of Pre-Colombian and Spaniard history and how it has been translated over in its art scene.

I am a huge Harry Potter fanatic and yes, that is a legit Ravenclaw robe.

 

Paola’s Selfie

Paola

Pronounced: Pah-Oh-Lah.

Two truths and a lie:

+ I have a secret David Bowie tattoo.

+ I’ve had to shoo away an alligator from my backyard.

+  I can flawlessly rap ALL of Alphabet Aerobics.