Almost a week has passed since we returned from Santiago and it is starting to feel normal to be back on campus again.  I just learned, after some research, that I experienced sun poisoning while hiking and that is why it felt so great to sleep on the cold airport floor while waiting for everyone to check their bags.  After a few nights of good sleep, lots of water, healthy food and exercise I feel back to normal as I’m sure most do.    Though it has been great to sleep in my own bed and socialize with friends, I am yearning for the kind of education that is fostered abroad instead of in the classroom.   On the Ohio state university seal is the phrase “Disciplina in civitatem” which translates to education for citizenship. We are here to learn how to contribute and grow as individuals in order to give back as citizens of the places we come from. This idea gets lost in the constant pressure to get good grades while studying on campus, but is emphasized while studying with the university around the world.  I miss everyone’s passion and how eager we were to experience the things we love in the context of a different culture.  I wish there was a way to instill that curiosity to a much higher degree while studying in Columbus.

It is almost a week after we came back to Columbus from Santiago, and the first thing first I felt when we back here was cold, really cold. After adapting to the charming weather in Santiago, I stand in front of my wardrobe don’t know what to was to stay warm in this cold weather for this whole week. It is so depressing to put all the summer clothes back into the suitcase under my bed, and I can’t even imagine we were far away from Columbus in South America just a week before. The whole trip seems like a dream now, all the views, architectures, and foods are unreal. The only thing can remind me is the photos.

Although it is not the first time I travel, obviously I attended a study abroad program while I am studying abroad… which I won’t really feel homesick. But lots of things in Santiago reminds me about Taiwan and I just realize that I am now alone and 18 hours flight from home. When we went to the beach in Santiago, everything at that moment brought me back to Taiwan, conquered me with nothing but everything that it could offer. I never travel with a group before except the volunteering project, and truly grateful to everyone in this trip that brought so much of joy into the journey and made my first group trip unforgettable.

After returning to reality from the wonderland, life becomes so busy and full of exams and papers. But I am glad that there are only less than 40 days till summer break and my freshman year. Hope everything goes smoothly. Summer break road trip counting down.

This trip to Santiago was a wonderful experience for the first spring break trip of my college career. The beautiful 90 degree weather, my first out of country experience, all of the new lessons learned and all of the new culture I’ve experienced had a great impact on me.

I’ve made a goal of trying to be more interactive with people and spend more time with others every day rather than secluding myself to a dorm room. I enjoyed the week with limited use of my phone and in getting my new one, following an unfortunate series of events with a Chilean Uber, I found myself using less social media and just completely uninstalling some apps so I am less tempted to spend my time missing out on the world around me. The temperature change is still affecting me days later, I found myself wearing a winter coat today in 50 degree weather. But most of all I miss the constant view of the mountains. It seemed like every view of the city was picturesque with a beautiful Andes backdrop, even through the weekly buildup of smog.

I’m amazed we were able to experience so much in only a week in Chile, yet feel like there is so much more to see. This trip made me desire more worldwide travel and it was a much needed break from the normal rigors of college life.

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

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.

Coming back to school is definitely as hard as I had planned it would be. As the wheels of our plane hit the tarmac while touching down at CMH, the reality of life hit me like a ton of bricks. Sleep deprived, hungry, and in desperate need of a shower after 22 hours of travel on the return route home, I waited for my dad’s flight to come in from Boston before I could officially head home. During this time I reflected on my sojourn to Santiago. Since October I had no clue what this trip would entail, all I knew is that it was a unique opportunity set before me that I knew I could not let pass by. Today, now that everything has been said and done I can truthfully state that this trip was everything I had hoped it would be. Being immersed in another unique culture on the other half of the world in a land most people forget about was a life changing experience that I am undeniably thankful for having been a part of. Along with that, it has given me the confidence to hopefully continue with my studies and travel abroad throughout the rest of my time here at OSU. Here’s to the worldly journey’s to come, and here’s to Santiago 2017; the once that kickstarted them all.

When people ask me how my spring break was, I honestly don’t know where to start to describe it. I did and saw so many amazing things that I’m not sure what to talk about first. Do I talk about the massive size of the Andes, the freshest food I’ve ever had, or the great people I met and got to know better?  This trip was one of the most amazing experiences of my entire life, and it far exceeded the expectations I had of the trip. I knew it would be fun, but I had no idea how much I would learn and experience. My favorite thing about Santiago was all of the landscape within the city. I liked that you can live in a big city, but still have these oases like Cerro San Cristobal, or Bicentenario Park, to visit that are so close to where you live. All of these outdoor spaces were really well designed and planned, and I really appreciate that a big city like Santiago recognized the importance of having these spaces open to the general public. What I enjoyed most about the trip though was getting to know all of you guys. I don’t know that many people outside of engineering, so it was really nice to talk and become friends with people in other majors. I think that all of our different backgrounds made the trip a lot more interesting, and I just wanted to say thanks for being such a great group to travel abroad with!

the Virgin Mary Statue on Cerro San Cristobal

The journey of Santiago has already been over. I took off my shirt and wear my coat again. To some extent, I am happy to back to Columbus where is a most familiar place. On the other side, I cannot forget the days in Chile. It is an amazing trip that everything seems unreal.

I was so surprised that there is a fantastic city like Santiago in South America. In my memory, the countries in South America are poor and boring. However, I totally change my impression after this trip. The architecture in there is various. Same as landscape. You can see some historical  building like Santiago Cathedral while some architecture are contemporary such as Innovation Center, The Monastery Church and the Museum of Memory. And we also appreciate the colorful residential in Valpariso. I feel so fortunate to visit Chile as a landscape architecture student because I can broaden my horizon. In addition, I cannot believe there is a good metro system in Santiago. Since in most city, even in Columbus, there is no metro. It is so cheap and convenient to take the metro to anywhere in Santiago.  Moreover, the food is so nice. All meal I had during this trip, especially the group meal, is awesome. I am also glad to taste Chilean wine which is famous. But the most unforgettable thing is Monte con huesillo. It is a local drink that is sweet. Besides, I was amused to learn some words of Spanish from this tourism. I can say ‘Hola’,’La quanta’ and ‘Gracias’ now. Last but not least, I feel happy to meet many new friends. I would never forget that I traveled with them to Chile.

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.

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

If I’ve learned anything from this trip, it’s that I love to travel and that although I have called Ohio home for 13 years, I’m ready for a change, and hopefully a warm one! Traveling to Santiago was truly an amazing experience and I was so surprised by everything that Chile has to offer. I am so glad I went on this trip and I am so appreciative of the country’s culture and have nothing but great things to say about it. Not only did I get to explore and discover a new place and culture, but I also gained a lot of new friends along the way.

To be honest, going into this trip I wasn’t really expecting much. Who ever thought about going to Chile anyway? It could never beat my trip to London, but I was totally wrong. Although I really loved London, Santiago was just as amazing. The food in Chile was incredible! I did not have one bad meal while there and I probably had my best meal ever at Mestizo. The weather was so nice and such a nice break from the snow here in Ohio and I was so sad to arrive home to 30 degree weather, overcast and rain. I will never forget the lush green landscape and geography of Chile, and I didn’t even get to see half of the geography that the country has to offer. It was such an incredible experience to witness the Andes and the steep slopes of the ocean-side towns of Valparaiso and Viña del Mar, being led by our amazing guide, Sergio. Another thing I was pleasantly surprised by was the parks and Metro system. The city parks were so well-done and clean and the Metro was very dependent and pretty easy to navigate. The lively and vibrant culture of Chile is one that I will never forget and one that I will hopefully get to experience again. Cheers to a truly amazing trip with some really amazing people! Until next time, hasta luego, Chile!

Group after our bike tour of Viña Cousiño Macul on our free day.

As I sit here in studio, I cant help but stare at my sandal tan lines and miss everything about Santiago. The week I spent in Chile was one of, If not the most valuable trips I have ever taken. I would not trade my experiences there for anything in the world. I loved how the city resembled one located in Europe, but was an entirely different entity. Unlike in Europe, Chile was so connected to the people living there. I loved how proud of being a Chilean most everyone was. Despite their past with dictatorship and cruelty, the city has a feeling of hope for a better future. The lack of censorship with their street art really made that message clear for me. Whatever the citizens are feeling, they have the freedom to display that message publicly and visually, which in many cases created beautiful pieces of art that truly reflected the city. The feeling of connectivity expanded to the metro and bus lines. I also noticed that traveling with bikes was very common. The city felt accessible, which for me made me feel very at ease as a newcomer. Overall, Santiago is a place that one can feel at home at very quickly, and will forever make a lasting impact on anyone who visits.

This trip was one of the most amazing trips I have ever been on and I will never forget it. Although I was excited to come back to Ohio to see my friends and family and tell them about my travels to Chile, I miss waking up to the sun and 80 degree weather, trying new and delicious foods, and exploring and adventuring in Chile. Today I am feeling quite sad to be honest, so I searched the web to find out how others who have experienced post-travel depression dealt with it most effectively and here were the top and most common responses that I found:

1. Ease into a Daily Routine: Slowly incorporating old habits from before you traveled with maybe some new ones that you developed while abroad can help eliminate that depression because the new habits will remind you of your travels and how you felt doing them. If possible, don’t rush quickly into this routine, do it slowly and take your time.
2. Log your travels in a Creative Way: Perfect for us, we had to do a lot of sketching and write blog posts! I found that sketching in the spaces for me personally, was one of my favorite things we did because it forced me to look closely at detail and observe how the people interacted in the space. Creative outlets like sketching and blogging are helpful because it serves as a reminder of the feelings and emotions that we were experiencing at that time. We can easily look back on these if we are feeling sad and they can bring us joy.
3. Travel in Your Own Backyard: Make new experiences at home by exploring Columbus and what is has to offer! Just like we were all adventurous in Chile, take that sense of adventure and try new things like restaurants, museums, parks, etc… Do things you normally wouldn’t do and be open-minded.
4. Start Planning Your Next Trip: One of the most encouraging responses that I found. Look forward to a trip in the future and start saving for it! You’ll be very motivated and sadness will be replaced with a sense of excitement like we experienced before we traveled to Chile.
5. It Takes Time: Use the time after your trip to reflect and think about your travels and your life back at home. Ask yourself: why were you so happy abroad? Are there things that you can incorporate into your life here back at home in order to feel that same sense of joy? Also think about what your life has now that you were unable to obtain while abroad…don’t take your life for granted and have a greater appreciation for it. It takes time to adjust back into your normal life, so don’t sweat it!

Well I hope that this is helpful to anyone who is feeling a little sad like I am! Chao!

After nine hours flight, I survived from the flight. I feels like experiencing a torment every time I take flight. The seat is uncomfortable and the airstream makes me nervous. I slept about three hours, which is longer than last time. After I woke up, I cannot perceive my butt and my foot were swelling pain.
The overall trip to Santiago is memorable and unforgettable. This is the first trip that I focus more on architectures and landscape architectures. With the background we learn before we depart to chile, I have more understanding about their buildings. Santiago is an very interesting city. We can not only saw the bustling downtown, but also impecunious neighbors. It is feels like a combination of New York with a third tier city. The architectures we visited were fascinating and well designed but their neighborhoods seems need to be improved.
This is a awesome trip. It lets me meet more Knowlton people and engineering people. It is also good to see people in different majors analysis things in different ways. I still remember when we are in Moneda cultural center, different

City view of Santiago

Continue reading Post in Dallas →

Today is the free day. Finally I had a morning that I don’t have to get up very early. We got up at around 10 am and had a lunch at a mall two blocks away. It is a nice place to have brunch and there are some great stores next to it. We don’t have any plan for the free day until we got lunch. We bought ice creams and started our local street tour. We decided to visit the central cultural Matucana 100 and we were hanging out on streets to finish our ice cream and took uber to the cultural center. It was disappointed when we got there. We thought the would be some great exhibitions in the cultural center. But it looks scared inside the building. There is just a big auditorium with a cafeteria. The only people there is the cashier behind counter. Then we decided to visit the NAVE cultural center. It was several blocks away from the cultural center. On the way to NAVE, we experienced their local people’s life. We passed thorough lots of apartments along streets. There were murals on walls. Houses were painted with different colors. They were pretty like the small town we visited couple days ago. We also saw a elementary school was ended. Children were seating in their school buses and waiting other people back home together. But when we arrived there the NAVE finally, we cannot find any entrance. We found some doors without fences but it was still locked. The worker that was clearing walls told us it was a restaurant and would opened at 3pm. So annoying. Then we just back to hotel.

IMG_6890-2fs81ig

The last few days in Chile have been filled with tons of culture. I’m the type of person to ask tons of questions if I am curious about something. When we went to Valparaiso I was constantly asking questions about what life is like there. Sergio told one story that stuck with me, when we had stopped at a high point to look around the city he told us that he saw a man building the house that was next to us about a year ago. And that’s amazed me because I find it so culturally different that people are able to build their own house rather out of need or want. I also wondered how people described where they live if the city is constantly changing and was never planned in the first place. I imagine people would have to say something like “it’s the Orange house down the street from the church and to the left of the t-shirt shop”. This kind of development is similar to Santiago as people spread out further from the city. This causes wealthier and poorer neighborhoods to intermix. But then you get whole other cities like Maipu. Where Shelby, Asya, and I traveled to today. We went to see one of the most beautiful churches I had ever seen. We had to wait for the tower to open but when we were finally able to go up it was a spectacular view. And we had a spectacular guide. This older man told us all about the Santuario Nacional and the city of Maipu. One of the most interesting things he told us was about the form of the basilica. He said the church represents the patron saint of Chile, the virgin Carmen. The colonnade represents her arms embracing the children coming in, the draping ceiling was for her long robe, and the observation deck was for her eyes that could look over all of Chile: the Andes in the east, the Pacific Ocean in the west, the Atacama desert in the north, and the glaciers and Patagonia in the south. This description made me love the church more than I already did. The stained glass was like something I had never seen before as well. All in all the hour long train ride to the outskirts of the city was worth it.

Walking through the museum of memory and Human Rights was a very heavy experience. First of all the museum itself is visually very beautiful. The building was unlike the surrounding buildings,making its clear that the content inside was important. When you first walk in the building, the photos that pictorially create the landmass of the world set up the narrative the museum wants to tell. Human rights is a global issue, and the atrocities that were committed in Chile are in many ways similar to other happenings around the globe. It’s a terrifying thought that a single person could suggest the killing of thousands of people, and have a large portion of that country’s society get on board with that idea. It goes to show how fear and hatred can be the fuel for horrific acts, and how we need to learn from those acts for a better future for all human beings. It made the problems in our country seem very scary, and I just hope the American people do not let the fear and hatred many are feeling towards certain groups fuel those kinds of acts.

Day five & six

These two days we went to lots of beautiful place. Yesterday we went to the Valparaiso, an awesome beach town. We first went to the Pablo Neruda’s house, La Sebastiana, which was a small but wonderful house. All the collections inside the house had their own history and story and it made the house more meaningful and unique. There is a Moai scruple next to the window I second floor, and I think it is a interesting moment that the house eventually having something about Chilean instead lots of the collections from other countries. After that we having a two hours walk of the neighbor, all the arts were so special and colorful and I really enjoyed the tour. And we ended up the day on the beach which was a nightlight of this trip.

Today we first go to the cathedral that we can’t go inside last time. Then we go to the museum of memory, it is a meaningful museum which make we feel really heavy but amaze at the same time by the history. The space on second floor is the best place of the museum. Surrounding by the plastic rolls that symbolize the candle, and the glass wall showing the reflection of it which make the place looks like surrounded by the candles. After that we walking on the street and there are some art market which I find lots of fun stuff. And we also go to the park and spend some time to sketch. Can’t wait for tomorrow and I hope I will survive after the nine hours hiking.

I was hoping to eat some crab in Valparaiso, instead I ended up looking like one. SPF 30 just doesn’t cut it for me I guess, but Valparaíso and Viña Del Mar were everything I was hoping they would be. La Sebastiana was truly a treat in the fact that I have known of Pablo Neruda’s work for some time and it was awe-inspiring to set foot in the residence of a Nobel Laureate. The views from BellaVista hill of the Pacific were enthralling, stunning, and in much a way magical; having come to the realization that we truly were seemingly on the edge of the world. Viña Del Mar across the bay on the other hand really lived up to its reputation as a place built by the rich for the rich. It’s tree lined boulevards, high end retailers, and pristine beach views offered a setting to rival that of some of the best beaches I’ve ever been to. After a day of severe UV radiation it was a highlighting moment when dinner that night was a “treat yourself” experience. To preface the situation, the evening took place at Giratorio, a revolving restaraunt on the 18th floor of a tower down the street. There, with my glass of champagne, I savored over a risotto of crab, octopus, scallops, and octopus tenctles. To top it all off, my gustatory palette was completed with a flan of epic richness in taste. A perfect meal of melatonin inducing foods gave me a good night’s rest before embarking at 10 the next morning for the Museum of Memory. Personally, having always been enthralled with history, in years past I had researched about the Chilean coup d’etat and knew of the atrocities against human rights committed. Inside the museum though it was fascinating and profound to have in one space a compilation of people’s testimonials and the history behind this nation altering event. The reflection given to me from the museum also has made me reflect on all that I have been exposed to on this entire trip. As the free day approaches and the end of this journey is near, I become more and more thankful of everything I have been able to share with our group here in Santiago.

Panorama from La Sebastiana

Continue reading Valpa-raise the SPF on my sunscreen →

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.

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.

Day three& four

These two days we went to lots of amazing place that is so remarkable for me. And I also got lots of nice photos which is the most excited thing.

Yesterday, I looked at the whole view of Santiago at 62nd floor of the Costanera Center and having a video record. The time-lapse video shown the traffic of city and how the shadow of the Costanera Center changed. It was really cool to see the shadow moves while the time pass. Although it’s not a super high building (compare with Taipei 101), it’s nice to see the wild view with the details of the city and having the nature light coming down from above in the open space. And the lunch we had in Mestizo was so good just as the architecture itself.

Today we go to the San Joaquin and PUC. It is cool to have such a experience of visiting other campus in different country. And I think it is also interesting to be able to compare Knowlton with the other architecture school. I get my best photo(I think it is the best today) of today at PUC which is the reflection from the window of the college students while they setting up the event. And we also find the buckeye tree when we on the way back to hotel, the Chilean buckeye thrill me up so much and giving us a great ending with the picture.

Half

O-H-I-O! Chilean Buckeye.

UAI

Chilean version of Knowlton big stairs.

Continue reading Halfway There →

Flying into Santiago, the first thing I noticed was the beauty of the ocean and the foothills of the Andes. Walking out of the airport, the warmth was a nice break from Ohio weather. Cerro San Cristóbal was definitely the highlight of my first day here, especially riding the cable car and seeing the entire city against the Andes. Viewing the city from the funicular was also incredible, especially sitting in the front car.

One of the biggest struggles has been the language barrier. I was expecting more people to also speak English, and I’ve had several slightly embarrassing encounters attempting to order food. The food I’ve had so far has been similar to food I would eat back at home, so I’m hoping to eat more authentic Chilean food later in the week.

My favorite thing about Santiago so far is the vegetation throughout the city. I’m not used to seeing so many different plants in an urban setting, and the use of plants and trees adds to the appeal and beauty of the city. I was also impressed with the green spaces including the set up of the parks, which are different from the parks in the United States.

After the 15 hours traveling, we finally made it to Santiago. I took the photos of people holding their passport while we at the CMH. The photos just make me feel we’re so ready for the trip, and I made it to the slide video yesterday.
The first day in Santiago we went to the Cerro San Cristobal, and having the incredible view when we take the cable car. But the funicular wasn’t as fast as I thought (it looks like the free falling…). After that we went to the Park de la Infancia, it just makes people become a big child and having lots of fun there.
Today, one of the most embarrassed day in my life. When we at the museum, I feel badly by the art barrier right in front of the Inca statutes, and there was so quiet that everyone looks at me because the huge sound l made. And the securities came to me start to speak Spanish which just makes me more confuse. But I’m glad I didn’t break anything there.

IMG_0019-stfuq1

https://splice.gopro.com/v?id=qyXJvz

To be honest I feel like I have been awake for 3 days straight, but it is totally fine because we made it safe to Santiago! The highlight of the first day for me was the cable car at Cerro San Cristobal. The panoramic vista was mesmerizing; and I could not have asked for a better first photo opportunity session on this trip. Specifically, the statue of Mary over looming all of the city was beautiful and humbling. On another note, it was also enjoyable to see Alejandro Aravena’s children’s playground in person. His simplistic, yet poignant style, as well as his ability to pay attention to such fine details pertaining to his work’s sustainability are profound. For free time that night it was entertaining to enjoy some of the local Saturday nightlife just around the corner from our hotel. With a large open seating courtyard packed with people and music it’s atmosphere was truly a fitting initiation into Santiago. Now, with looking forward to everything the city offers more and more each day I know this will truly be the one of a kind trip experience I was searching for. Here is to all and in between that the next days bring upon our group.

Packing this morning was nothing short of interesting.  The zipper on my bag finally closed with one roommate sitting on top of the bag while two more zipped it shut.  Other than that, everything leading up to the Santiago trip has gone very smoothly.  I have always had difficulty sleeping and resting on planes, so my hope is to be able to at least get a few hours of shut eye before a full day of outside travel.  Regardless, I am very excited to visit Cerro San Cristobal tomorrow and no amount of exhaustion will store me from racing someone down the mountain of slides!  Finding vegan food has already proved to be a challenge in the airport, but I have a feeling it won’t be an issue in country with Santiago being such a large city.  Today, I taught Meg to play my favorite card game at the Columbus airport and she totally crushed me in it.  So far, that has been the only down side of the trip! Hopefully that is the worst thing that happens all week.

I am so excited now because the Santiago trip is ready to begin. It will be my first trip to South America, to a place I am unfamiliar with and curious. I have prepared for this travel for a whole week. Last weekend, I went to Chase to exchange $500 as Chile Piso. I just prevent my debit card doesn’t work in Chile that I can use cash. In addition, I call to AT&T to open my international plan. On Wednesday, I specially went to Target to purchase some stuff, such as transverter, sunscreen, tissues, mini-size toothpaste.  In order to be convinced, I also borrowed a small suitcase from my friend. It was just right to fulfill my package. At the night before the trip, I make sure again all of my document was here, including passport, visa, fright itinerary,Geoblue insurance card and others. I check the email from Aimee and Leslie and just confirmed I was ready for the Santiago trip. Although I was extremely excited, I fell asleep early because I didn’t want to be tired in the next day.

Every thing comes well. I went to airport on time and meet our team. I got a air ticket and passed security. Now, I’m on Gate 25 waiting for the fright to Dallas. I feel happy to this travel. Same as everyone. I look forward to arrive in Santigo after 10 hours. It must be a unforgettable experience travel with you guys. My spring break has already begun! Ho-la Chile!

This week has been incredibly busy, and now as I sit in the Columbus airport, waiting for our flight to depart to Texas, I can finally be excited.  As excited as I am though, I am exhausted.  This is the first time I have been able to sit down and relax all week.  After all the stress of two reviews, a history exam, and the anxiety of checking in at the airport and going through security (I don’t fly often), I can finally think about Chile!

Since I don’t fly often, I am slightly nervous about the flight from Dallas to Santiago, but since it will be overnight, I think it will be better.  I’m hoping I can use that time to finally catch up on all my missed sleep.

I am pumped to finally be in Chile, especially with the warm weather.  Today my mom sent me a picture of the 4 inches of snow we got at home in Pennsylvania.  I’m sorry Mom, but I’m glad I’m not coming home to that.  Instead I am looking forward to the 80 degree weather and hoping I don’t get burnt.

I am so excited to see the city, the mountains, and the sea.  I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me and all of the amazing experiences I will have.

So there is still so much to do before I’m ready to leave in  just 16 hours! There is no doubt that I am very excited for this trip. I know that it will not fully hit me until we get on the plane to Chile. I am anxious about the 9 hour flight mostly because it will be the longest I have ever taken. But I’m sure that between sleeping, eating, watching movies, and studying for the GRE I will be well occupied. I am also thinking about visiting some of the housing projects on the free day. Although, I am very excited to visit ALL of the places we have talked about in class, I am just ecstatic to finally be learning about and visiting non-eurocentric Architecture! And of course the food excites me. Shelby and I went to SideBar this past weekend and tried some Chilean inspired food (as well as drinks). Unfortunately, we were grossly undressed, but the food was amazing and now I have even higher expectations for the food in Santiago. At this point before I trip I always get nervous and probably stay a bit nervous until we are safely into the hotel. I’m looking forward to having “once in a lifetime” experiences on this trip!

P.S. I have included a picture of my food at SideBar just to make everyone a little jealous!

Having gone overseas a handful of times previously I am very much excited for the opportunity to be able to travel again. The entire pre-sojourn experience to me has always been full of emotions; anticipation, gratitude, adventure and as always the very slightest of trepidation. With this flight being 10 hours it will be the longest I have yet to endure. Thankfully I have brought books to read (that I have been meaning to finish for quite some time), my favorite music to listen to, as well as luckily found my airplane seat comfort position so I am at least relatively able to get a light sleep on the overnight leg and adjust to the minor time change. Besides that, I am not worried about the fact that I am not a Spanish speaker, due to the fact that 2 of my friends on this trip are already Spanish minors. Also, I know that Aimee, Troy, Christine, and Trent have organized a well-oiled, tight-knit trip itinerary for each and every one of us to experience all the best possible opportunities Chile has to offer, as well as keep us prepared and protected to get there and return home safe and sound. I am beyond excited to be headed south of the equator for the first and maybe only time ever in my life and become immersed in a land that for centuries has been labeled as one of exotic culture and history.

My name is Serena Brewer. I am a fourth year Architecture student with a minor in Society and Environmental Issues. I am from Oak Park, IL a suburb on the west border of Chicago. This trip will be my third study abroad. My senior year of high school I went to northern France and Paris and maymester of my sophomore year I went on the European Study Abroad with Jackie Gargus to Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. I love to travel and see new built as well as natural environments. I had the opportunity to go to Barcelona, Spain with my studio this semester, but ultimately chose Santiago because I felt it would be a “once in a lifetime” experience. I am also the co-president of NOMAS here at Ohio State and have participated in Servitecture, AIAS, and FOCUUS (fellowship of campus Unitarian Universalists).  I am Unitarian Universalist and attended Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple in Oak Park. I have two older sisters, one lives in North Carolina and the other in St.Louis. I swam competitively in high school and was also on the Synchronized Swimming team. I look forward to traveling to Santiago for the many great things I have heard, but I also look forward to improving my sketching skills and meeting all of you guys!