My Global Journey to Chile

Agnes Scott College, has an incredible, built in opportunity called Global Journeys, for all freshman during the spring semester. It is a part of the SUMMIT program which is part of the liberal arts curriculum at Agnes that includes things like learning leadership skills and global awareness. Global Journeys is a chance for all students to travel abroad and experience something that may be out of their comfort zone and or normal budget. I had the privilege of traveling to Santiago and Valparaiso, Chile in March of 2019 with my Global Learning class and two professors. We spent a week exploring, learning, and expanding our knowledge of Chilean history as well as making a lifelong memories and friendships. This post will describe some of the academic and personal takeaways from that trip. It was filled with so many special moments so I tried to pick the ones that still stand out to me today. 

Throughout my time in Chile, there were many different museums, restaurants, and city spots that I spent time in with my newly made friends and travel buddies. Our goal from the start was to not participate in traditional touristy habits so we could limit our tourist footprint. It was important to us that we did not take advantage of the communities we visited and the rich history and cultural of Chile. Some of my favorite spots were in the local museums which we visited in order to learn more about the poets we studied, the dictators, and the musical history. The following images are from a few of the various museums we went to.

Along with the educational aspects of this trips, there was also time to sight see some beautiful scenery both on the coast in Valparaiso, Chile and in city of Santiago, Chile.

It was a trip of a lifetime- a week filled with eye opening stories, breathtaking views, the formation of dear friendships, and the opportunity to expand my persepective about what it means to be a global traveler. It is one of the most unique parts about Agnes Scott that every first year has the chance to step outside their comfort zone to experience another part of the world. I know that for me, it solidified my love of exploration and hopes to work abroad someday. I plan to return to Santiago someday for even longer so that I can continue to soak up its beauty, culture, and community.