Life in la novena región

I studied to become a Spanish teacher in the US, but as graduation neared, I realized I was not ready to take a “traditional” path into my career. I had always wanted to teach English in a Spanish-speaking country and when I found EODP, I knew it was the perfect program for me.

I was a year long volunteer in a small city in La Araucanía region in 2013. I lived in Chile’s poorest region in one of the country’s poorest cities, but the people there were some of the most generous I know. I fell in love with my school and community, despite the lack of resources and the vulnerability I so often witnessed. I felt as though I truly made a difference and I had become a real part of the community. My biggest challenge was making friends with people my age, since most were either students at the university (living an hour away) or already had families to take care of. My host family was so accepting of me, especially my host mom who I lived with. She was a teacher at the school as well, so we always had in-depth conversations about education and life in general. She truly became a second mother to me and has helped me in so many ways. I know that she would defend me like a lioness protects her cubs, even today, after almost three years!

After my volunteer service in 2013, I returned to the United States to work and pay student loans, but I knew that I needed to return to Chile. There’s something about this country that just pulls you back! haha…So I decided to return as a volunteer for the second semester of 2015. I returned to the ninth region, but instead chose to be placed in a larger city. My experience, although in the same region, was completely different! I worked in one of the largest public schools in the city, one with resources and a strong political presence in the city. The teachers I worked with had very contrasting personalities and teaching perspectives, which made my work very interesting. Since the school was so large, the teachers were very divided and communication was often an issue. I didn’t feel the same sense of community that I had in my first placement, but the English department and school principal made great efforts to support me and to show me how much they appreciated my services to the school. Honestly, though, it was the students who made my experience worthwhile (just like the first time). I learned that in the city, a very classist environment, the students were just as vulnerable as my students from the campo, they just found methods to disguise it…It was difficult to leave my students. A semester definitely was not enough time!

Throughout both of my volunteer experiences, I found the orientation week to be extremely beneficial, even as someone with formal teacher training and experience. The program definitely puts you to work during the training sessions, but I can say from personal experience and from the majority of other volunteers I know, the people who fully take advantage of it as an opportunity to learn as much as possible and ask a lot of questions before starting in their placements, are the ones most prepared and have a better experience in their schools.

I was impressed with how organized the program was, but I can say that I feel a sense of pride after participating a second time and seeing how many things have improved and how well they have taken into consideration the recommendations of former volunteers. During my second service, even prior to applying, I felt that the support staff responded to my questions in a very timely manner. Thinking about how minor I felt that my problems were and the fact that I was one volunteer out of more than 100 in the country, I couldn’t believe how they addressed my concerns as though they were just as much of a priority as the other issues.

If you are looking for a place to travel and party and learn Spanish, you will experience those things here, but I wouldn’t recommend the program to you…This is a program for people wanting to experience first hand the culture and public education system of Chile. It is a program that you can be proud to be a part of. It is a truly life-changing experience, but just like anything, it is not all sunshine all the time. If you give your all, it will steal your heart.