Severn, Md.----Hola! My name is
Jenni Barbett and I will be a senior on the women’s soccer team this fall at Wingate University. In May, my teammate
Julie Zielinski and I traveled to Chile with about twenty other students as part of the W’International program Wingate offers.
During the spring semester, we met once a week to learn as much as we could about Chile before our ten day trip. Taught and led by
Dr. Maria-Carla Chiarella, we covered the history of Chile, the culture, the religion, and we even added our own Spanish 101 class as well as a variety of other topics. We were also lucky enough to have the Director of International Studies,
Jennifer Armentrout, join us on our trip. Traveling to Chile was my first time out of the country and it will be a trip I will never forget.
In February, Chile was hit by an 8.8 magnitude earthquake that left our trip questionable. Fortunately, Chile has such strong, structured buildings; so there was not much long-lasting damage and we were able to go. We had a nine-hour flight out of Atlanta through the night and we landed in the capital of Chile around eight in the morning. Shortly after landing, we began touring and site seeing Santiago. We then had a full-day excursion at Valparaiso and visited the famous Chilean writer Pablo Neruda’s home. We were also given the opportunity to have dinner and converse with Chilean students who are studying English.
We then took a flight to Puerto Varas, where there was more city touring, market shopping for souvenirs and adventuring. Another memorable part of the trip was the six-kilometer hike we took to explore the forest and its native trees. A ferry ride to Chiloe Island was next…We got to see a breathtaking view of flamingoes, ducks and other coastal birds along the Caulin Bay.
That night for dinner, a Chilean family welcomed us into their home and we experienced the Chilean culture first hand. After the traditional dinner, we joined the family in dancing and singing for the rest of the night. We returned back to Santiago for one last night. With free time on our hands, we simply walked around and soaked in the Chilean city life.
This experience introduced me to a variety of new things such as the language, the food, the people, the social customs and much, much more. I am so lucky to be offered this amazing trip by Wingate University; I fully encourage all students to take advantage of the W’International program. I guarantee you will make new friends and new memories that you will never forget.
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. W’International trips either leave after Christmas each year, or 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 36 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 45 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.