William in the Southern Cone

Since the main subject of this notebook is travel I thought that I would write a little about my son, William, and his junior semester abroad. He will be leaving in a few days to spend four months in Santiago, Chile at University Diego Portales. UDP is a private university located in central Santiago. The Program, Andes to Rainforest, is run by American University and taught by professors of UDP; but why brother trying to re-write a description that the University has already provided.

This program explores the contrasts between ancient traditions and modern civilizations. Through intensive classes/seminars, hands-on internships, and field observation in the region, students will examine the inherent tensions and interrelationships that exist within South America.

“The home base for the semester is Chile, a country that provides a stimulating environment in which to study the emerging political and social realities in Latin America. Students are exposed to the creative strategies that the country's leaders are developing to keep their economy stable and healthy, in the midst of a region undergoing serious economic and political upheaval. They live in Santiago, the capital, a city of five million which is bordered by the spectacular snow-capped Andes Mountains to the east and the nearby Pacific Ocean to the west.

A team of staff with vast knowledge of and experience in South America and the US supervises the program. Beginning with a language and cultural orientation program, Andes to the Rainforests participants spend their first few days becoming acquainted with the host culture in Chile and reviewing survival Spanish.

Each environment that students study and visit reflects a diversity of cultures from traditional and indigenous to modern and cosmopolitan. With a rich blend of influences from ancient populations, such as the Incas, to European and beyond, contemporary Chile, Peru, and Brazil represent a mosaic of cultures. Although the semester is based in Santiago, students participate in academic field trips to sites in Chile, Peru, and Brazil. These site visits complement course work and provide interaction with local leaders who influence the very issues which the students study.”

http://auabroad.american.edu/enclave/andes.cfm

They refer to these programs as enclaves – sounds a bit pompous, but I guess the word accurately describes the program. After reading the description I decided that I should go. I’ve only been in Chile once – in 2005 to attend a meeting of the Pan American Ophthalmology Association. I was only there for five or six days, and it was mostly business, but I did get to explore the city for a few hours and I did have a day to take a trip to Viña del Mara – a beach town about 50 miles from the City.

Santiago is a large city in the foot hills of the Andes. Smog permitting you can see the snow capped peaks of the Andes from most roof tops. I had a problem photographing them because the optics of the camera could barely penetrate the smog.

William has grown up in the close suburbs of Washington, DC so he is accustomed to the demands of a large city. He has had 7 years of Spanish – can’t speak well but has mastered the grammar, and can write adequately. He just needs some exposure to the sounds of Spanish and a larger vocabulary.

He is in for a shock, of course, it will be his first time outside of an English dominated culture, but he’ll adapt. It always stuck me how so many things are the same, and yet how so many things are different when I travel. A big city is a big city, but the rhythm is different. I remember when I went to New York the first time, and I finally understood John Coltrane, all of a sudden the sounds and noise in his music made sense. The music was New York. It was chaotic, busy, interrupting, I closed my eyes and I saw New York.

I guess most cities have there own sound; maybe not Washington, but I can think of sounds for Paris, Madrid, Havana, even Cleveland, none more so than Nashville and Memphis. Buenos Aires is the rhythm of the tango. William will have to find the sound of Santiago de Chile, the Andes and the rainforest.

You can find the photos of my trip in 2005 to Santiago de Chile on the Photography Channel located midway down the right hand column. I’ll try and keep everyone up-to-date on William’s adventures in the southern cone.