SIT Study Abroad: Chile: Public Health, Traditional Medicine, and Community Empowerment

My semester in Chile was a really unique time that I now look back on and still am able to laugh at and be in awe of. The program is organized in a way that allows you to see travel around Chile and really get a sense of the country as a whole. I stayed with 4 Chilean families over the course of the semester and was able to learn so much about Chilean culture (and by comparison my own culture) from sharing in their daily lives. My favorite part of the program was the ISP period, which I spent in Santiago volunteering full-time at a non-profit organization. The program director was very flexible with allowing me to conduct an ISP on a topic of particular interest to me, although it was not directly related to the themes of the program. I had an amazing time exploring a beautiful country with a group of fun and inspiring students who I still keep in touch with. My Spanish improved immensely over the course of the semester and I quickly became accustomed to approaching strangers for directions, help or simply making conversation. This is the perfect program for anyone who is interested in studying anthropology or indigenous rights, particularly around the topic of traditional medicine. The program is structured very well and I think that a selling point of the program is that you are exposed to the current controversies surrounding public health related to traditional medicine in a variety of contexts (urban/rural, North/South, etc.)

Living in Arica, Chile has been one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. Studying the public health system, the injustices and cosmovisions of the indigenous populations, meeting people from all walks of life, ad being able to converse with them in Spanish has inspired me in every aspect of my life.

Academically, I feel so much more educated about public health issues, history, and how policies directly affect the lives of individuals. The constant emersion into Chilean Spanish (which is distinct from classroom spanish) has made me fluent, more comfortable, and able to express myself in ways I never could before.

Socially, I fell in love with my host family and learned so much about Chilean food, culture, and history.

Here are some positives and negatives that I encountered during my time in Arica:

HIGHLIGHTS:

-The director of the program is SUPER knowledgable and you will really learn a lot from her. The program would not be the same without her.

-This program is CHALLENGING but in the most rewarding ways. At first, it is really difficult to communicate with people in Spanish. But after a few weeks, you really notice a change in your verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Plus, most people I met were very patient with language barriers.

-TRAVEL is an awesome part of this program. 3 trips are built in to various parts of Chile and one in Peru. It really gives you a sense of the culture and history more. It also allows you to talk to many people such as individuals that identify with the Mapuche and Aymara populations that you otherwise may never have met.

-ISP (Independent Study Project). This was probably my favorite part of the program. You have freedom to study what interests you and travel in your free time. It's amazing!

-ARICA IS BEAUTIFUL!

CHALLENGES/NEGATIVES:

-The classes are all American students which is good because you get to go your own pace with learning Spanish... but it's also frustrating because it doesn't really integrate you into the University.

-Punctuality rarely exists in informal settings, but it's a different lifestyle and it's fun to adjust to it.

- You have to be open-minded to have a blast on this program, but that can be said for anything you ever do in life. Go with the flow!

I loved this program because it gave such a holistic view of life in Chile and, specifically, healthcare delivery. On a weekly basis we would visit health clinics of all sizes and specialties. Daily, we attended classes at the local university including Spanish Language, Public Health, and Research methods. Each day we had a break to go home to eat lunch with our host families, which was WONDERFUL. I spent nights and weekends with my host family and loved getting to know them and their friends. Every 3 or so weeks we took excursions to different parts of the region: the Altiplano in the Parinacota province, Temuco in Southern Chile and Bariloche, Argentina, and to Tacna in Peru. For the ISP period, I went to Santiago for research on the availability of services for people with intellectual disabilities. The program staff was fantastic and incredibly supportive, especially during the ISP period when we were essentially independent.