Orland Park, Ill.----Hey everyone! My name is
Lauren Billo and I am going to be a senior this fall at Wingate University. Recently,
Stormi Gale,
Rebecca Bloemer and I traveled to Chile through a study-abroad program called W’International. We took a semester-long, two-credit class in which we studied the culture of Chile. After we completed our course work, we took a 10-day tour though the country, visiting major cities like Santiago, Valparaiso, Vina del Mar, Puerto Varas and Chiloe. In the class, we learned all about the Chilean language, customs, food and history.
We started our voyage May 10, first by flying to Atlanta and from there nine hours to Santiago, Chile’s capitol. When we arrived, our tour guides met us right outside the airport and we had a long day scheduled. First, we started by touring the capitol and walking around the heart of the city. It was neat seeing the lively atmosphere with the market vendors and beautiful buildings that surrounded us. We were all surprised to see how many stray dogs roamed the streets and how they tried to join our group of 25 students.
After wandering the city’s streets, we entered a market area with fish flying, something you could picture in a movie. Our tour guide explained that we were going to eat here in the middle of that market place with strung lights, traveling bands and entertaining crowds. We ate oysters, clams, octopus and fish. The food just kept coming…every meal at least a three-course feast. Desserts consisted of fruit pastries, ice cream and a type of flan.
We had a great group of people and were able to form closer relationships among our group. The next three days we spent time walking the streets and taking in the Pacific’s view, learning about how that impacted the country and its culture. Also we ate at wonderful restaurants that had breathtaking views.
One night, we met up with a group of Chilean students who were studying English. It was really neat sharing conversation over a nice meal and then experiencing the city with them. We stayed in northern Chile for three days before we took a flight down to the southern island of Chiloe. This was our tour guide’s home town and he was very excited to show us his city.
The overall trip was a wonderful experience and I am so grateful to have shared it with my volleyball teammates. We have many memories from the trip; as a result, we are so much closer. My favorite part about the trip was learning more about myself and creating stronger friendships with the other 24 members.
WINGATE UNIVERSITY’S W’INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM
Each year, eligible students in their junior year of study are offered an opportunity to spend 10 days abroad with a Wingate faculty member after a semester of study related to the relevant destination. The W’International program, created in 1978, makes a study-abroad experience available to students at little extra expense beyond the semester’s tuition charge.
Since the program’s inception, students have traveled to more than 30 countries in virtually every corner of the globe. Typically, eligible students may choose one of six different destinations. Three W’International trips leave right after Christmas each year, while the other three leave right after Commencement in May.
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private four-year co-educational institution of 2,159 students offering active learning opportunities through personalized instruction, world travel, career discovery and community service.
Wingate offers 34 undergraduate majors in arts and sciences, business, communication, education, fine arts, music and sport sciences. It also offers graduate degrees in business, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration. In addition, the school awards the doctor of pharmacy and the doctor of education degrees.
Bulldog student-athletes compete in 19 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past four years.
Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 34 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 43 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.