7/29/2010 9:27:06 AM
Oakville, Ontario----What is Chile? Before landing on the opportunity to physically go and see for myself, Chile was a vague and hazy land mass positioned somewhere due south of where I have lived all my life. I knew it was a South American country; I knew it stayed hot all year; I knew it had a massive mountain range running through it; and I had definitely figured out that their main export was the Chile Pepper. Naturally, having never been far enough off the North American continent I call home to even catch a scent of what South America might be like, my so-called knowledge was more than just a representation of the status quo; some of it was downright wrong.
Although it was not the first time I had been wrong (even in the last five minutes), heading to Chile to revise what I thought I knew would provide many firsts after all. It started by embarking on our ten-hour flight over the Caribbean ocean, from the East Coast of the USA bordering the Atlantic Ocean, to the West Coast of Chile bordering the Pacific Ocean. By this point, I knew I could expect more than my share of culture shock, since the majority of Chile enjoys a temperate climate, very similar to that of the northeastern USA. Despite the fact that I had become very well accustomed to the arriving summer of North Carolina, we would be enjoying the arriving fall of Santiago upon landing. As it turns out, we would have been more accurately misled by the name of the country (Chile), to conclude that it can be a quite chilly place, rather than believing that regardless of the temperature, they must have something to do with chili peppers.
With the understanding that Santiago is a city of over five million people and belongs to a “third world” country, I could not have expected such a beautiful, well developed, warm and welcoming impression. A different pace of life was apparent from the very moment we stepped off the tour bus into Santiago’s central square. The space for the still-sparkling square was actually reserved in the 1500’s when Pedro Valdivia founded the city.
With war in its history from the time Spain arrived during its conquest of South America, Chile had also seen its share of political unrest. One of the most fascinating experiences I had in the city was standing in front of La Moneda where President Salvador Allende was overthrown in the successful military coup led by Augusto Pinochet on Sept. 11, 1973. It was particularly interesting to contemplate the parallels between Chile’s September 11 and the USA’s September 11. The image that sticks with me most from Santiago is that of the massive cathedral which stood in contrast to the political buildings in the square, which together, stood above a vibrant park bustling with those both busy and begging in an atmosphere all too beguiling. Again at lunch, I felt life bouncing to the beat of a different, special drum when we ate in the middle of a fresh fish market surrounded by live entertainers, traditional Chilean pisco sours and a scent of the ocean in the air.
Beyond the volcanic mountains visible in Santiago lies the South Pacific Ocean and Chile’s port city Valparaiso. Internationally, this city has been fundamental to trade; thus, it is not surprising that it is the third-largest metropolitan area in Chile (only Santiago and Concepcion are larger). The people of Valparaiso embrace the ocean and the entire area seems to be captivated by a clean, crisp desire for art, color and life. Perhaps experiencing Pablo Neruda’s home emphasized this notion.
A brilliant writer, Neruda won the Nobel Prize for literature and has since become a national hero in Chile. Walking the streets of Vina del Mar was almost eerie, because it felt amazingly similar to the peaceful atmosphere of Neruda’s very own home. Without having made it south to the naturalized haven of Chiloe, the ocean views from Valparaiso included enormous pelicans and families of seals clumsily flopping about the rocks (which is more than worth an early morning walk in a thunderstorm!).
Needless to say, I was awestruck by both Santiago and greater Valparaiso. Surrounded by thoughts of what life could be like living in the places we had experienced, I was eager to move one step farther from metropolitan Chile and see the side of the country that has always been beautiful beyond any human influence.
Although many were worried about aftershocks from the recent quakes in Concepcion, I was most distressed about the possibility of losing the chance to fly south to Chiloe. The south of Chile is rich with traditional culture, which includes living off the land, ocean, wool, and wood. The south of Chile, and particularly the island Chiloe, maintained such a traditional culture due to its distance from the rapidly advancing technology of the rest of the world when the only mode of transportation was ship.
As a part of their close connection to nature and living off the natural world, the people of Chiloe have also maintained certain elements of the indigenous Mapuche people’s culture including folklore, dance and philosophy of life. There are several other captivating symbols of long-lasting permanence in the south of Chile. Firstly, the landscape is unlike any other on the planet, as Chile is home to the greatest number of active volcanoes on earth.
Also, one of the strongest woods on the planet lives in the indigenous Allerce trees of Chile’s temperate rainforests. The seemingly timeless trees grow even older than they do large; they can live up to three thousand years. Hiking through the Andes Mountains knowing I was standing on a real volcano made me feel small, but the captivating atmosphere of the people combined with the land made me feel like a part of it all.
If the different vibe I had felt in Santiago and Valparaiso was the excitement of travelling, I was definitely experiencing a different way of life in Chiloe. By this point, I was even starting to feel comfortable with countless new words and phrases in Spanish, despite never having been exposed to the language. Being wrapped up in such a wonderful embrace with everything about the culmination of our journey to Chile was a truly warm and happy experience. An amazing thing happened during my experience with Chile in which people who I had known for a long time became people who I have known for forever, and people who I had never met became people who I have known for a long time. After all, how will I ever forget dancing La Cueca with my Chilean grandmother?
BRAEDEN PATCHELL
In 2010, Braeden Patchell was an All-South Atlantic Conference selection for the third year in a row following a solid junior campaign. A three-year starter for the Bulldogs, Patchell compiled a 13-4 singles record in 2009. He was a perfect 8-0 in SAC singles play during his sophomore campaign. Patchell is a Biology major with a 3.670 GPA. He is seeking minors in Chemistry and Psychology.
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.