One Month Down, One Month to Go!

One month in Santiago, Chile and I feel like I’m finally getting to a point where I’m beginning to understand why I’m here, what I’m going to get out of my time here, and how/where to focus my energy and attention. I can tell that I’m beginning to “settle in” because I no longer feel the need to over-analyze every little thing that happens to me and I think I am just better equipped now to accept the good and also the not-so-good aspects of my Chilean life! My two internships (Teaching Assistant for a course on Human Rights in Latin America and working with the Colectivo Con-spirando) and the activities related to those two internships definitely take up the majority of my life. Luckily, I am finding both of the internship sites to be extremely relevant to my background and interests but also really rejuvenating and different. Most of my work with Con-spirando has been related to their upcoming book on Religious Fundamentalisms and the Body. Together with Susan (my co-worker whose house I am living in!), I am translating an article about the history of fundamentalisms in the United States from English into Spanish. We are almost done with it but it has definitely been a big undertaking that would have been completely impossible without Susan! I am also writing an article that I’ll submit to maaaaaaybe hooooopefully be published in their book. I’m really thrilled with work at Con-spirando and I know it’ll be extremely relevant to the work I’ll be doing back at school in Boston.

A particular highlight of my month was a weekend workshop on art therapy in the mountains outside Santiago. Together with an eclectic and kind group of kindergarten teachers, nuns, and university students, I spent 3 days in a beautiful lodge dancing, painting, sculpting, laughing and learning about the ways that we can get to know others and ourselves through the arts. I originally signed up for the workshop pretty randomly and not too sure that I wanted to do it (I always get SO nervous attending events where I don’t know anyone!!) but it ended up being incredibly relevant to my own work, FUN and just was an amazing chance to meet new people.

A few highlights that I am looking forward to soon include a visit from Nelly Del Cid, an incredible activist and friend from Honduras, trips to Viña del Mar (with my Montclair friend, Sam!) and Buenos Aires, Argentina (with newly-spanish-speaking parents!), and of course, continued living, learning, and exploring around Santiago!

And to all of you out there, I’d love to hear how you’ve been! Being here amidst all this newness and unfamiliarity makes me think of you all constantly and I would love to hear how you are all doing.