Upon return to Columbus I was very sad. We were greeted with dismal weather and a slow baggage claim process. Immediately I missed Santiago. I missed the warm sun and friendliness of the people. I also missed the absence of technology that I enjoyed so much while being abroad. This was truly a once in the lifetime experience and I wished we were spending another few weeks there. Experiencing the Latin American culture made me want more because it was something I have never experienced before, even having traveled before. I would have loved to have more time to visit the market in a smaller group because that was something I have never experienced before. Just the rush of the people and aroma of the fresh produce was delightful, and something I wish we would have done earlier in the trip. I miss the fresh fruit vendors that would be outside our hotels, and just how fresh everything was there. I would also like to get to the country side and experience more rural Chile as well. Of course there was only so much we could do in 10 days but I be excited to learn more in class about what we did not see.
Author: Asya Shine
Traveling Far and Wide to Maipu
On our free day Shelby, Serena, and I took the longest trip ever to Maipu. It’s a suburb southwest of the downtown area. We took a 1 hour cramped metro to the bowels of Maipu. We expected to come out of a subway to a barren land far away from the main city, but inside we were delightfully surprised. We arose from the depths of the metro to find a bustling plaza. Cars, people, and busses were speeding in every direction. We made our way to the mall first to grab food. We stopped at a small shop, where I had some of the best food I’ve had so far on this trip. Then we hiked over to the Church of Maipu. We were greeted with a circle of barren land. The church was surrounded by a colonnade, and the structure erected high into the sky. Inside, the breathtaking interior bled colorful light into the tall space through the stain class Windows. We stayed there and sketched a little until the tower museum was opened. We traveled around 200 feet into the air to get to the balcony of the tower. There we met our tour guide Martinez. He told us about the symbolism of the structure and how it was to represent the Virgin Mary with her arms stretched out. This church has been my favorite site so far, and I really enjoyed talking with Martinez about all the symbolism and meaning the church had for Maipu.
The church from the central gathering space.
San Miguel
Today was another fun day of exploring Santiago. I really enjoyed visiting the different universities in the city and experiencing how the Chilean students went to school. However my favorite part of the day was exploring San Miguel and seeing the murals. Riding the metro over there was hectic. We were stuffed like sardines in the cabins, and it was extremely hot. All of this was worth it once we reached San Miguel. One of the most intriguing parts of the journey was seeing how the neighborhoods transitioned from what we would consider middle class to lower class. Unlike in America, where it is more gradual, I found that the transition here was more sporadic. One street would have nice gated homes, then the next street would have more social, low income housing. One guy eventually pointed us in the right direction of the murals. I was amazed at how large and colorful but detailed the murals were. My favorite one is captured below in a photo as well as my own sketch of it with pens and watercolors. What I liked most about this mural was it was reflective of the rich history of Chile, incompassing the statues we saw in the Pre-Colombian museum. It uses some traditional colors and patterns native to the culture, and the woman is dressed in what looks like some traditional headgear. Throughout this trip I have been extremely curious about the people and culture of Chile, and I feel this mural represented it best.
My favorite mural in San Miguel.
San Miguel
Today was another fun day of exploring Santiago. I really enjoyed visiting the different universities in the city and experiencing how the Chilean students went to school. However my favorite part of the day was exploring San Miguel and seeing the murals. Riding the metro over there was hectic. We were stuffed like sardines in the cabins, and it was extremely hot. All of this was worth it once we reached San Miguel. One of the most intriguing parts of the journey was seeing how the neighborhoods transitioned from what we would consider middle class to lower class. Unlike in America, where it is more gradual, I found that the transition here was more sporadic. One street would have nice gated homes, then the next street would have more social, low income housing. One guy eventually pointed us in the right direction of the murals. I was amazed at how large and colorful but detailed the murals were. My favorite one is captured below in a photo as well as my own sketch of it with pens and watercolors. What I liked most about this mural was it was reflective of the rich history of Chile, incompassing the statues we saw in the Pre-Colombian museum. It uses some traditional colors and patterns native to the culture, and the woman is dressed in what looks like some traditional headgear. Throughout this trip I have been extremely curious about the people and culture of Chile, and I feel this mural represented it best.
My favorite mural in San Miguel.
Bella Vista
Day 2 was a hot one. After visiting the cultural center and Plaza de Armas Shelby, Serena, and I took a trip to Bella Vista before dinner. There we saw La Chascona House (one of Pablo Neruda’s houses). The house was situated at the base of the San Lucia hill. Although I thought the 4 part abode was beautiful I thought the city of Bella Vista was the best part. The city was filled with young adults, markets, street vendors, and restaurants. There we found several souvenir shops, where we picked up handmade wallets, mugs, and key chains. We passed a few clubs and bars along the way too. Another cool part was the street graffiti that lined many of the buildings, attached are some examples of the market facades and art we show. Another interesting part of our adventure to Bella Vista was everyone thought me and Serena were Brazillian. I felt everyone we past staring at us, and this guy came up to me and asked me if I was Brazilian. I also was surprised at how large of a Haitian population Santiago had. I wonder how did they immigrate here and what’s the history behind why they came. Overall today was a great, hot day.
Bella Vista
Day 2 was a hot one. After visiting the cultural center and Plaza de Armas Shelby, Serena, and I took a trip to Bella Vista before dinner. There we saw La Chascona House (one of Pablo Neruda’s houses). The house was situated at the base of the San Lucia hill. Although I thought the 4 part abode was beautiful I thought the city of Bella Vista was the best part. The city was filled with young adults, markets, street vendors, and restaurants. There we found several souvenir shops, where we picked up handmade wallets, mugs, and key chains. We passed a few clubs and bars along the way too. Another cool part was the street graffiti that lined many of the buildings, attached are some examples of the market facades and art we show. Another interesting part of our adventure to Bella Vista was everyone thought me and Serena were Brazillian. I felt everyone we past staring at us, and this guy came up to me and asked me if I was Brazilian. I also was surprised at how large of a Haitian population Santiago had. I wonder how did they immigrate here and what’s the history behind why they came. Overall today was a great, hot day. 
Pre-Departure
I am most excited about eating the food and warm weather in Santiago. I love trying different foods, despite my food allergies, and will be willing to try anything that I can eat. I am also excited to see the different landscapes in Chile. While I am most excited about the beaches, I will be eager for the mountains as well. On the free day I would love to visit some of the housing projects, and go to the beach. I also am eager to see the museum of memory to learn more about the history and culture of Santiago. In the evenings I can’t wait to experience the nightlife and see what Chilean culture is really about.
One thing I am nervous about is the flight. I have a hard time falling asleep on airplanes and have a lot of anxiety with flying. This will only be second time out of the country and haven’t flown much in my lifetime. Another anxiety I have is managing my food allergy with the language barrier. I have tried my best to learn how to say if something has nuts in it in Spanish. I’ve done plenty of research on the food and am excited to indulge in it.
Asya’s Bio
My name is Asya Shine and I am a fourth year Architecture major. I am from the Cleveland, Ohio area. My many interests include drawing, painting, sports, and food. I work at the Ohio Union Information desk and I work in Recruitment for our very own football team as an Athletic Host. I have not traveled much in my lifetime, but college has really opened doors for me to develop the passion. This past summer I went on the European Architecture study abroad program and was eager for another trip on another continent (my life goal is to get to all of them). This trip particularly interests me because I feel as if it is in a part of the world I know very little about. Throughout all of my schooling, including college, I have learned very little about South America, and this will give me the chance to learn and explore a little bit about it. In addition, I hope to take what I learn on this trip and educate others. I currently help run an organization in Knowlton called NOMAS. We are an educational group that tries to focus and promote diversity in design, and with this trip I will have new knowledge and resources to share with my peers.
Asya’s Selfie
Hello! My favorite color is purple.
I played soccer and basketball in high school.
I have one brother.
My favorite food is Mexican.