Today was our first full day of activities in Chile, and I mean full. The day started bright and early at 7 a.m. After our inaugural public bus trip, we found ourselves at the beautiful Universidad Techníca Santa María in Valparaiso. The campus is indescribable. Composed entirely of gothic structures, the campus is perched upon a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. With panoramic views and spectacular architecture, the campus is unlike anything I have ever seen.
After a campus tour, we listened to two separate lectures on Chilean culture. We learned of Chilean geography, tourism, current events, history, and culture. Each lesson was insightful and presented in a relevant manner. All of us were impressed with José’s English, and his was a great resource on our next excursion as well, which was a tour of the surrounding region.
One thing that was interesting about our experience thus far was the nature of the Spanish spoken here in Chile. Although I have studied Spanish for over six years, I found it hard to comprehend the type of Spanish spoken around the city and on campus. The students, who all speak great English, explained that Chilean Spanish is often abbreviated and full of slang. Hopefully by the end of the two weeks, I will begin to understand the local dialect, and be able to communicate with the locals.
After a full day, I look forward to a later start tomorrow, and our first day of company visits!
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