Volunteering in Valpo!

I can only think positive things about my experience in Valparaíso. Volunteering at Centro Bellavista, the Special Education Center, and working with the psychologist was such a great experience for me and so much fun. In the US, I have heard the statement, "The only disability in life is a bad attitude." Working at this placement allowed me to see the truth of that statement. Working with the students and helping them in their everyday school life was such a joy for me. The children always put a smile on my face no matter what. I loved the Chilean culture (especially the food), and my host family was SO caring and friendly. They made me feel like one of their own children. I still keep in touch with my host brothers on a regular basis. I really wish I could have stayed longer than a month so that I could have traveled more, but I will definitely have to return to Chile in my future. Overall, this was an amazing and valuable experience. I was able to immerse myself in the culture, strengthen my Spanish-skills, and gain life-changing skills that allowed me to grow in so many ways. Although it was hard at first to communicate with the locals (taking into account their accent, local lingo, and how fast they talk), but at the end I was able to realize that this only made me a better Spanish speaker.