My first week in Santiago

I want to start off by giving my thanks to all those who have showed great support for me during this transition. Your support has given me great comfort and has provided me with the assurance that everything will turn out fine.

The night before my flight to Chile I thought about my departure and I felt uneasy, unprepared, and most of all freighted of what would happen over the next year. On the following morning, February 27, I was supposed to depart to Santiago, Chile. However, an earthquake of the magnitude of 8.8 changed those plans and put me in to rush mode.  I had to quickly contact and respond to messages of many friends and loved ones that sought to know if I was okay. I also had to check on the status of my flight, and see the possible options I had regarding rescheduling. Within four hours of endless phone calls and emails, I was exhausted of the efforts and the stress. No one could have expected this tragedy to occur in Chile. I was absolutely shocked that the earthquake happened, especially on the day that I was supposed to depart for Chile (a blessing for me). After a few days of contemplation and taking in the news of what was taking place in Santiago, I decided that I would move forward and continue my journey as District 5890’s Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar outbound to District 4340, Santiago, Chile.

On the night of my arrival I was greeted warmly by District Governor Carlos Fernandez and the President Rotary Club of Vicuna Mackenna, Eliseo Salazar Varela. The District Governor gave me a broad overview of Chile; we went over currency, housing, and the general location of important places.

I have found many unexpected experiences in Chile to be exciting and also freighting. On my first full day I went to my university to orient myself. While in at the university I experienced my first earthquake! At first it felt strange, I thought I was getting sick or getting vertigo, but then I noticed that everything was moving and that it was the real thing. I was lucky that I was speaking with a staff member of the university which told me what exactly to do. That was one of the major aftershocks with a magnitude of 6.9. Throughout the day there were many aftershocks that continued. I was astonished by the actions of the Chileans during and after the quakes. They continued as if nothing had happened, but at the same time I saw many government works had taken to the streets immediately to insure the safety of all public locations. The fact that they did demonstrated that they are used to this type of activity and that they are well prepared for the challenges caused by them.

To follow that first time experiences of earthquakes, a few days later a massive blackout occurred throughout Santiago. Luckily, I was at home when it took place, but it was absolutely amazing to look outside and see a city in complete darkness (it reminded me of Houston after Hurricane Ike). Unfortunately, during the blackout I also deleted all the photos I had taken up to that point! Follow that, just days ago I had an encounter with el araña de rincón a deadly spider. Well luckily for me it was already dead, but these spiders have been known to cause people serious lifelong problems and even death. On top of all of this, I have experienced some unfriendly sentiments towards the US, however they have been very brief and I have been able to turn their frowns upside down (hopefully making an impact on what they think of Americans).

I have also experienced many wonderful things here in Chile. On my second day here, I also attended my host Rotary club’s meeting and was welcomed warmly by all the members. I expressed to them my intent on helping where I can and my interest in Microfinance and education. One young Rotarian offered to show me around Chile during the weekend, and I took them up on their offer. The president of the Rotary club also expressed his strong interest in starting a Rotaract club and asked me to assist in their efforts. In addition to this, I also had the opportunity to meet with my friend Crispulo. He showed me around and gave me some good advice about locations in where to live.

So far this first week has been difficult and tiresome, however I have gotten to meet many kind people and I hope to develop good friendly relationships with all of them. I really believe that this experience will allow me to do just what I am meant to do: grow as an individual, learn about the world, build bridges across divisions, and represent my Rotary district as well as my country.

Yours in Rotary,

Jessie

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