SIT Study Abroad

During my semester abroad, I developed my Spanish skills and learned a lot about the world of research and conservation. During the final month, students complete a self-designed independent research project of their choosing. For me, this time was the most valuable of the entire trip.

Is it cliche to say abroad changed me? Either way, it’s true. This program developed my science communication skills, confidence in myself as a researcher and scientist, and field skills while keeping cultural connectivity and the natural world at the forefront. Between the oldest rainforest in the world, the Great Barrier Reef (my dream travel destination), and Cairns itself, I kept pinching myself at how beautiful and complex an ecosystem we were constantly emerged in and learning about. The assignments were really interesting and taught me a lot about how to communicate science and conduct research, and nothing beats snorkeling for hours at Lizard Island! My Independent Study Project (ISP) was SUCH a fun and immersive way to lean in to the things I noticed in Australia that interested me most. I was also able to incorporate my major (biochemistry) into my ISP, and to learn about intersections between ecology and biochem! I came back a lot more confident, a lot more knowledgeable about conservation biology, and with the fun party trick of being able to identify all the birds native to the Cairns Esplanade. If you’re thinking about doing this program, this is your sign…

When I left for Chile initially, I will admit to being nervous. Many of my friends were going abroad together to larger programs more endorsed by my school, or to English speaking countries with diminished cultural barriers. However, I knew that I wanted a more unique experience, and one that was also justifiable with my pre-health aspirations. The SIT Chile program was truly that and so much more, and I am so glad I left my comfort zone to pursue it! In this review I will talk about a few of my favorite places we visited. Our journey began in Santiago, but the next stop of Arica was where we spent the majority of our time. In Arica, I had the opportunity to integrate into a loving and supporting host family, with whom I talked for hours over meals, went on weekly ice cream trips, had fun at the beach, went on shopping trips to the mall, grocery store, and corner store, and more. They were the family I spent most of my time with, and by the end of the program I had become incredibly close with them. Near Arica, we visited the city of Putre. Putre was my favorite place of the entire trip, however I will admit this occurred after an rocky start. When I first arrived, while I got along perfectly fine with my host family, I did not feel the strongest of connections. However, when I ultimately decided to return alone for my internship period, the program was exceptionally accommodating in allowing me to change to a different host family with whom I had interacted with. I became very close with my second host mother, who worked at the hospital I was doing my internship at. She would pack lunches for me, watch movies with me, and helped me integrate into the hospital community with whom outside of work I would go out to eat or get pizza and play card games. During my internship in Putre, I was completely integrated into the local community despite being the only white person. In my internship I had the opportunity to go on rounds in the breathtaking surrounding communities and assist the staff in delivering primary care in the rural Chilean Altiplanos. In the community I had the opportunity to partake in the Aymaran Cruz de Mayo festival, which involved singing, dancing, hiking and eating traditional Chilean barbeque. I became very close with the Aymaran indigenous medicine doctor who worked alongside western medical practitioners in the hospital, and during this festival he essentially adopted me into his family. I also had the opportunity to participate in the Aymaran K'illpa in the nearby community of Visviri, who also accepted me with open arms. Being accepted into and experiencing the communities of Putre and Visviri has left a profound impact on me, and I am so grateful to the SIT Chile program for facilitating this. A few of my other favorite places we visited during my time in Chile with our program were Temuco, Entre Rios (near Nueva Imperial) and Pucón. These southern cities were incredibly green, with visually stunning rolling hills, lakes and coastal towns. They also held strong ties to the local indigenous Mapuche culture. In Entre Rios, I was fascinated to learn how an incredibly strong traditional Mapuche indigenous culture works in combination with the western medical system. I also lived with a large family on their farm for week, where I enjoyed banter with my host sister, assisting the middle aged family members on the farm, and being spoiled with delicious traditional Chilean meals by the grandparents. Temuco was a larger bustling town, a capital of the south, while Pucón was essentially an alpine vacation getaway. Separate from the program with a few friends during long weekends we also visited La Paz and San Pedro de Atacama. If you go on this program be sure to make time for independent travel, as the experiences I had in these locations were amazing. Overall, the program provided me with exceptional support from both the directors and host families. The experience and global health minor I gained will be directly applicable to my future aspirations in pre-health. The academics were usually lighter, although there were times which were demanding. However, I always found that putting in effort was enough to warrant good grades, even with my initial difficulties of Spanish mastery. If you are willing to put yourself out there and experience immersion into a beautiful culture, then this is the program for you!