For my STEP Signature Project, I completed an 8 week internship abroad in Santiago, Chile. While living in the city, I worked as a finance intern for a small company that specialized in engineering and importation. On the weekends I was able to explore Chile and other countries in South America.
During my time in Santiago, I definitely grew as a professional, global citizen, and human being. I learned a lot about international accounting, as well as the unique business practices and customs of Chile. It was really interesting to sit in on meetings, interviews, and client visits because I was able to notice differences in how business people in Chile communicated and interacted.
In addition, my Spanish improved tremendously; I grew from not understanding a word people were saying to me, to being able to hold full conversations with my coworkers. Chilean Spanish is full of slang and pronunciation that is totally different than the rest of South America. It took me a while to grow accustomed to this seemingly new language, and sometimes I became extremely frustrated. It was difficult feeling so unable to communicate, especially having taken so many years of Spanish in school. Slowly but surely, I started picking up Chilean phrases like “sipo” and “¿cachai?” and soon I began to feel more comfortable speaking to the locals.
One of my favorite parts of my job was learning about Chilean culture. My boss and coworkers loved to show me music, movies, books, shows, and dances from South America. Not only was this fun, but it allowed me to really get to know them and their country. For example, one day they showed me a music video for a song called “Real Chile,” which highlights the injustices and inequalities in Chilean society. It was interesting to see a totally new side of the country. Taking part in company social events like birthday parties, bbq’s, and watching the soccer matches together made me feel like I was part of the community.
South America is very different than the United States and Europe, which taught me to adapt to new situations and be more patient. For example, I had to get used to buses, trains, and flights being late or completely cancelled with little or not notice. I also gained a stronger sense of independence, whether it was navigating the busy city alone or simply cooking dinner for myself. I now feel more confident traveling by myself, striking up conversations with new people, and trying new food. I would say that overall I am much more open to new experiences.
All of these experiences have contributed to my personal and professional growth. I feel more prepared to take on an internship next summer in the finance sector after working hands-on with my company’s finances. I also feel ready to tackle a new work environment after having to adapt to a completely different language and business culture. One of my main professional and personal goals has always been to work in a spanish-speaking country for a long period of time. This experience gave me a taste of what that life would be like, and definitely increased my interest in pursuing a full time career abroad.
Wow, not only did you get internship experience, but you were also able to explore Chile! To have an international prospective on business and the differences you have seen in the US is something in which you will be able to take with you to companies in the future.
Learning the language and culture is also a lifelong experience you will never lose. I am glad to hear that you are feeling confident in taking an internship next summer and continuing on with experiencing the world.
I hope that you are able to bring your experiences back to OSU and can continue to use what you have learned!