From visiting the world's driest desert to walking around Nobel Prize laureate Pablo Neruda's home in Isla Negra, exploring Chile was a dream come true! 

Known for its unique geography, Chile is the southernmost country in the world closest to Antarctica! Famous for their Atacama Desert, Patagonia, and their specialty in wine-production, Chile is beautiful in so many ways. In fact, having spent two months in Santiago, the capital, here’s what made my summer so special:

My Internship

This past summer during the months of June and July, I had the opportunity to travel with the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (DRCLAS). Specifically, through their Summer Internship Program (SIP), I was able to pursue a fully funded internship opportunity in line with my academic and personal interests. Passionate about working in Latin America in the future, I sought out an experience that would allow me to conduct research on the topics of immigration, education, and law. Thanks to DRCLAS, I was able to make this possible through working with the University of Tarapacá and the Municipality of Recoleta. 

In recent years, Chile has experienced a growth in their population, becoming one of the biggest immigrant destinations in Latin America. From welcoming people from Peru, Venezuela, Haiti, and Colombia, Chile’s relative economic prosperity has attracted many to its metropolitan region. Specifically, out of the approximately 37 communes within Santiago, my research focused on the commune of Recoleta. Known to have one of the biggest immigrant communities in Santiago, my research included working closely with the Municipality of Recoleta and The University of Tarapacá to inform and implement a commune-wide elementary school curriculum that promotes interculturality, integration, and education against racism. 

While most of my research and curriculum creation was done while working in The University of Tarapacá, my work at the Municipality of Recoleta consisted of more face-to-face contact with the immigrant community in this region. Assisting Recoleta’s department of Immigration Services by organizing visa/residency applications for non-Chilean adolescents, having the opportunity to work directly with community members was extremely enriching. Through familiarizing myself with many of the resources and programs at the municipality, I was able to develop a deeper understanding and connection with community leaders working towards advocating for the immigrant community.  

For me, I found this work to be particularly meaningful in allowing me to learn about immigration outside of the U.S. and become more knowledgeable about Chile’s naturalization process. Interested in pursuing immigration law, I found this experience to be very special in the sense that it allowed me to spearhead a project where the voices and perspectives of many immigrants could be heard. As a first-generation student, I felt honored in being able to advocate for the immigrant community of Recoleta within my curriculum and work at the municipality.  

Exploring Chile

In addition to my work experience, I was able to explore and engage with Chilean culture through group excursions with fellow Harvard students interning with DRCLAS! Some of our trips included visiting Chile’s Museum of Memory & Human Rights, visiting many of Santiago’s iconic urban hills, traveling to different cities, taking a pottery class in Pomaire (famous for their pottery), and even traveling to the Atacama desert! 

Through these cultural experiences, I was able to learn and grow so much! As this was my first time traveling to South America, working abroad, and exploring such a unique region, this program consisted of many firsts for me. And while no words could ever do justice to fully capturing how amazing this opportunity was, I hope my pictures can at least share a bit about my journey :)

So, to anyone thinking about going abroad during college to either work or study, summer is one of the perfect times to do so!