Plane Ride back Home

Leaving Santiago and Buenos Aires behind was a bittersweet experience. Although we were happy to be back home, comfortable and able to share our experiences with our loved ones, it was sad leaving such beautiful places. The plane ride back was smooth and after making a stop in Texas we were finally in Boston and on our way to Bryant.

Traveling to Buenos Aires was my first plan ride ever. I had never been so amazed by the view nor so uncomfortable in my seat! On my way back from the trip I was able to appreciate the sights out of the window a  lot better.  We landed in Texas early in the morning while it was still dark out. The city lights were fascinating. It was hard to grasp how high above the ground I was. 

During the day we traveled to Boston. The skies were clear and we were above the clouds. It was peaceful. The nausea and ear popping became more bearable as I observed these views. They were truly beautiful. 

Waterfall Hike Up The Andes

On January 15th we went to "Cascades de las Animas" which translates to "The Spirit of the Waterfall." During our visit to the Andes Mountains we had many events in store for us such as a massage, zip lining, horseback riding, white water rafting, and a waterfall hike.
 

During the waterfall hike, we hiked through the mountains to find two waterfalls. Before we reached them, we learned some things about the nature. We learned that one of the trees on the hike was actually able to make shampoo from the bark. We also learned about a poisoned tree which they call "Little Tree," shown in the picture below.

This tree almost acts like a poisoned ivy with leaves and berries that are both poisonous. These trees were all over our hike, but we also found another tree that was used as a medicine to get rid of the poison. The medicine tree works by rubbing the leaves on yourself.

Our tour guide picked berries for us that were edible and allowed us to try them. They were called Maqui Berries and were a dark purple, blue color, almost like a blueberry. Some of us liked them some of us did not, but it was a cool experience.

We also came across a part of the hike which was called "Zona de la Silencia" which translates to silent zone. We had to make sure we were quite while walking in this zone because it was the home of the Pumas. There was two different types of Pumas there, which were caged to ensure safeness. Two children of one of the mother Pumas were both killed by a hunter recently.

One of the waterfalls was called "Cascades de las Animas," just like the name of the park. This waterfall is believed by Chileans that it has a spirit in it, hence it's name. Some of us stuck our feet in to get refreshed.

 Below is a picture of the spirit that the Chileans believe lives in the waterfall.

The second waterfall we saw was a waterfall called "Cascada de Calibri" which was somewhat bigger than the first. These waterfalls were a site to see. We had a lot of fun and "Cascades de las Animas" was a great experience overall hiking through the Andes Mountains.

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Cultural Observations of Argentina & Chile

For most of our group, this Sophomore International Experience was the first time any of us had been to South America. And for some (including myself), this was even the first time being out of the United States! That being the case, our time in South America was accompanied by culture shock, as any traveling is. During our week in both country, my classmates and I were able to observe some pretty distinct cultural differences to the US.

Argentina:
1. Driving:
a. “Highway Tailgating”- in the fields next to the highways under the shade of the trees, you’d see cars parked under them with families enjoying the cooler weather

b. “Road Lanes are Suggestions”- on large, one way boulevards with dashed lines, drivers would straddle the lines and create their own lanes; very exciting/nerve-racking to watch while in a taxi!

c. Street Lights- since the majority of cars were stick shift (and require shifting), when at a red light (prior to the light turning green), the yellow light would turn on, showing both the red and yellow lights before turning green

2. Food:
a. They LOVE Cheese (Queso)- whether on a cheeseburger or a pizza, there was no shortage of the cheese

b. Favorite Meal- Bife de Chorizo con Papas Fritas (Steak with French Fries), beef was especially popular due to their large cattle population

3. Misc.:
a. Siestas (Afternoon Naps)- their days almost always included a 5 hour nap from 5:00-10:00 PM , with an 11:00 PM start time for dinner, 1:00 AM time for the bar, 2:00 AM clubbing time, and finally crashing into bed from 4:00-8:00 AM

b. Obsession with the American Dollar- the official exchange rate is 1 USD for 8.5 Argentine Pesos, our hotel gave us a 1:11 rate, and many restaurants and shops would accept our dollars at a 1:13 or 1:14 rate, since the American dollar is more valuable and more importantly more stable

c. Street Beggars/Salesmen- while eating outside people of all ages would be asking for money or try to sell you small products to make a quick buck

Chile:
1. Agriculture- being the 2nd biggest industry (behind copper) their menus are filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, and also do NOT even consider importing any agricultural products because you will be stopped and questioned at Chilean customs

2. Terrain:
a. “Island Feel”- Chileans are not necessarily used to foreigners due to the difficulty of getting into their country; Atacma Desert in the north, Patagonian Glaciers in the south, Andes Mountains in the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west

b. Isolated Villages- most of their citizens live in cities but between these cities are sometimes organized, dense villages you could see from the highway traveling from one city to another

3. Misc.
a. PDA- parks would be filled with young couples “enjoying” their significant other’s company being all snuggled up on the grass in the open for everyone to see

b. Non Obsession with the American Dollar- Our USDs were not accepted anywhere, the only thing accepted is the Chilean Peso, which had a consistent exchange rate of 1 USD to 600 Chilean Pesos (which led to some seemingly very expensive purchases)

c. Pay for Bathroom- in some establishments (such as malls), you’d have to pay to use the facilities; these were much cleaner and well-kept then the free public bathrooms

Zip Lining at Cascadas Las Animas

As our 2 week adventure of Argentina and Chile comes to an end we spent the last day in Chile in the Andes Mountain. As lunch concluded it was time for people to participate in their next activity that they signed up for. A large group of us signed up for a thrill seeking zip line experience of a life time. As we all walked back to the cabin we got geared up to zip line over the Maipo River. A helmet and climbing harness was required for safety precautions. After everyone had the necessary equipment mixed emotions were running through the students’ mind while we were walking over to the zip line. 

Once we got to the zip line, the instructor talked about how safe it is to zip line because of all the equipment used. The zip line is 35 meters high and around 200 meters long. The instructor had simple instructions they were: to have at least one hand on the cable that is connected to the line, keep your legs up, and back straight. Once we zip lined across the river we would have to hike for 5 minutes to the next zip line to get back to where we started in the beginning. Now, that we knew what to do 2 people zip lined at the same time and we were off! 

Once people were ready to zip line you can see the different emotions that some people had. Some were terrified of the height and others enjoyed the ride. As people were pushed on the zip line to experience the thrill it would only last for 30 seconds, but within those 30 seconds you are screaming your lungs out and taking in the great view that comes with zip lining over the Maipo River. Zip lining was a great way to conquer your fears of height and the experience overall was enjoyable for everyone. Zip lining was a great way to end a 2 week experience in Argentina and Chile.

Andes Rafting at Cascadas Las Animas

The adrenaline was pumping and nerves were at an all time high as we arrived at the Andes for our group rafting trip. Most of us being novices, we had only a slight idea of what to expect. However, a concise, hour long, sarcasm laden safety information session would tell us everything we needed to know and expect, granted it may have aroused more nerves then it did calm. The first thing we learned, and the most important theme of the day, was that teamwork would be essential. This was not going to be like disneyworld, as our rafting instructor noted, these were class 3 rapids that would require focus, poise, and a cohesive unit of good partners and teamwork. We were instructed to be smart, aggressive, but above all calm. In the case of someone going overboard, a common occurrence  in rafting, panic is the one thing that can exasperate the situation. We were reminded, its only water, keep calm and you will be fine. The same is required and perhaps even more important for the rescuers though, as a panicking partner is completely and utterly useless. As a partner you need to be aware, alert and calm in order to be able to help your partner in case of an emergency. We went over the several different options to return someone safely to the boat, by extending out a paddle, throwing a rope, or the overboard rafter swimming calmly towards either the "german only" speaking kayakers that escorted us down the rapids, or back to the raft if possible. The instructor told us to always be looking forward, not up, as He is not going to help today, its our teammates that we need to be looking for. Finally, we also learned how to pull someone back onto the raft. You have to grab the person by the life vest, and then push down a little, not as much as to drown the person, but to use the bouyancy of the life vest as leverage to pull the person upwards onto the boat, falling backwards if need be to utilize your body weight as extra strength. After quickly explaining the dangers of being careless with your paddle on board, it was time to suit up.

We were fervently urged to make sure we used the restroom before putting on the wetsuit as you can imagine. Looking like cirque du soleil rejects, we took to the rafts and met our guides. The captain of our raft, Yuri, was a seasoned expert, despite telling us he had just passed an online class the night before to be qualified for the excursion. Yuri was a year round raft guide who also worked in Brazil and California among other places, so as you can tell work really sucks for Yuri. Nevertheless, Yuri somehow manages to keep high spirits and have a blast doing his job. Before taking to the rapids, Yuri taught us all the maneuvers we would need to know and drilled us as best he could. We mastered paddling, spinning the raft, taking cover, and jumping to different sides. Ok, maybe mastered isn't the best word, but Yuri was satisfied,  and where we fell short of perfection in those maneuvers we made up for it with our FIESTAS, as we would lock our  paddles in the air and scream out our group howl after successfully passing through a rough rapid. We all agreed we had some of the most fun we had ever had in our lives, from riding the bull, holding onto the front of the raft with one hand, to going for a swim in the shallow areas of the rapids, its harder to get back into the boat then you think, to Yuri having us dive into the face of a rapid, we had an unforgettable experience on that over 7 mile stretch. From the magnificent beauty of the landscape we passed through, to the roughness of the waters that splashed, ripped, and cut through us, to the feelings of camaraderie and family we experienced, the bulldogs group consensus of rafting was absolute sublime.

Football with the children

As the day went by and all our hard work coming together perfectly, it was time for a little enjoyment! We had decided to play a football match with all the children. This had brought smiles to the locals face as some of them were waiting just to show us their skill! We split the teams up and off we went. It was a hot summers day with the sun directly over our heads but this didn't play a factor and the young and talented victor robbed Serg of the ball and put it in the back of the net to make the game 1-0!

Team Rodi was taken by surprise, as we had just started the game. However the game carried on and the scores kept going back and forth, until Lauren stepped up and shocked us all with a brilliant header towards the top corner of the net! She shocked by her brilliant goal! Once that went in team P Gomez was put under a lot of pressure and went down two goals. At half time it was 7-5! Now it was crunch time as it was the second half and Ike running out, Hannah made a great run passing the midfield and passed a ball that split the defense wide open which was finished by Taylor to make it a level game!

This was now time for victor, he took the game to us with his great dribbling and wonderful runs to make the game 9-7! With one goal left for team P Gomez to win Team Rodi pushed everyone forward to try and get back into the game. However the team lost the ball and victor was off again, but this time he passed it to his sister and she had gotten the winning goal of the game! The joy and excitement that came out of the children after they won the game was simply one of the best things I've seen in my life. The amount of joy that our actions of cleaning up their equipment and making it a better place for them to live was amazing. They were so grateful, this is why we put all our efforts in that day. It was to bring this joy and excitement to their community. We had the pleasure and honor of going to a local orphanage and really give back to the community in Chile. Seeing the joy and happiness on their faces was something I will keep in our hearts forever.

Horseback Riding at Cascadas Las Animas

After a very satisfying lunch at Cascadas Las Animas, it was time for the second round of activities. There were only four of us signed up for horseback riding, because the rest of the riders went in the morning. We were all excited for a smaller group because we figured there would be more one on one time with our guides. The horse stable was not in the center of everything at Cascadas Las Animas, and so we had a little bit of a walk.

Our first obstacle was to cross this bridge, that was hanging across the width of the river. Our guides walked across with ease, and we were all nervous because a few planks of wood were out of place and the bridge was very shaky. I figured the bridge was the least of my worries, because I had never been horseback riding before, and I was terrified of heights. The first group that went definitely heightened that fear as they filled my head things I definitely did not want to hear. I was going into this activity with positive thoughts, because I wanted to do an activity that would take me out of my comfort zone, and this was definitely it. How many times can you say that you've been horseback riding in the Andes Mountains?

We met our horses, my horse was named Paichu. Throughout the entire process I kept forgetting his name and ended up calling him Pikachu. Once we were saddled up and I had gotten on the horse I was relieved. I figured getting on and balancing myself on the horse would be the most difficult part and if I had conquered that, I would be fine. We had a quick briefing on what we were about to endure by our guides and it definitely eased my fear. Our guides told us that the most important thing was to trust the horses, and that even if they stumble, they still have three other legs to keep themselves from falling. 

As we began up the mountain I immediately asked our guide how high we would actually be going up. The horses were huge and the pathways were narrow and steep, and I figured the horses would not be able to go much further. I was wrong, she told us that we would be going to the top of Cajon del Maipo where it would plateau which was (more or less) 1,350 meters which is around 4,400 feet. This definitely frightened me, but I trusted my horse and I figured that if they do this daily, I had nothing to fear. 

The sun was scorching and I felt bad for the horses. Our guides assured us that they were able to work in these tough conditions because they were work horses. She informed us that all of their horses that they let clients ride are males because they are easier to train. They also told us that during a storm they find shelter in places called "rock houses" which is exactly how it sounds. It is a large boulder where the rider and horse will stay the night to protect themselves. I thought this was extremely interesting because our guide said she has stayed there before. 

The views were spectacular, and every now and then my horse would stumble and my heart would drop a little bit, but I had faith in my horse and I needed to step out of my comfort zone and this was the way to do it. It was extremely dusty and dry up the mountain. I was wearing a white shirt and by the end of the 2 hour ride my shirt was brown. This was by far one of the best experiences of my life. 

From the top of the mountain there were such spectacular views that are phenomenal. A few of the horses were acting out by the end because they were hungry, but these horses were stable. We even practiced trotting. This was probably the scariest part for me personally because I felt like I was going to fly off my horse. 

Overall, this was such an amazing, relaxing experience. It really allowed us to clear our heads and truly appreciate the beautiful nature that we were surrounded by. This was by far one of the coolest things I have ever done and I believe the other girls feel the same way. Our guide urged us to definitely come back if we ever visit Chile again. I know I will be back, because they were so friendly and welcoming. I am so happy I decided to step out of my comfort zone and conquer horseback riding in the Andes Mountains! 

Making a difference at Fundacion Koinomadelfia

Like Marvelle said it was a very early wake up upon arriving to the orphanage. I started the morning off right by losing my phone and running up and down the floors to find it while it was in my purse the whole time. Classic me. Once we arrived to the orphanage, we were greeted by Monica who was the director of the orphanage and Eric who was representing Southbridge Access.  This orphanage had around 80 children that ranged from as young as 5 months to as old as 13 years. These children were put here either because they suffered from being abused or abandoned. The great thing that I found different from a USA orphanage is that the staff really tried to make the orphanage as homey as possible. They wanted to create an environment where the children would feel as if they were at home, not just some place to say they were living.

 

 Throughout the day each group was assigned to doing different tasks to help make the environment better for the kids. My group (TEAM AMARILLO) was in charge of sanding and repainting a picnic tables for one of the houses. Since that did not take very long, me and Leah went to go help out the other groups and pulled weeds from the soccer field which was actually not as easy as it sounds since we had 90 degree on our backs.

  After we helped clean the orphanage, we were provided with lunch in the gym where we ate cheese and meat empanadas with soft drinks. Some of the children kept on coming in and out of the gym because they wanted us to hurry up and come play with them. During lunch a women named Elliana from Germany that has been volunteering at the orphanage for 3 months talked about what she does there and how she now aspires to be an adolescent psychologist.  Also at lunch, one of the Southbridge guides went to the store and got a cake for one of the children, Benjamin, whose birthday was that day. After we ate lunch we sang him happy birthday and gave him the cake which he was SO happy about.

 

   Later on during the day we participated in many different activities that allowed us to interact with the children. I first started off as setting up a dance party, but the speakers ended up not working and we turned to coloring which the children still enjoyed. There was also face/ body painting where some of us would painting cool designs/ whatever the child wanted on their bodies. For the students who wanted to be a little more active with the kids, there were options such as basketball and futbol (soccer) that went over really well with the children.
 

 

 

 

 Overall I believe this was one of the days that everyone will highly remember because we were able to make a difference in a child’s life. Just being able to put a smile on one of the children’s faces made that day all the more enjoyable.