The past two weeks sure have been busy. I have managed to travel to Vina del Mar, Valparaiso and Isla Negra, watch Chile's national soccer team win the Copa America, and even present projects on research in the hospital!
Two weekends ago I traveled to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar with classmates from ECELA. The two towns are very similar costal towns in Chile and are only a short metro ride apart. We enjoyed the views of the Pacific Ocean and eating some great seafood!
The weekend that we came happened to be a religious holiday in Chile and we got to watch a parade in the streets of Valparaiso!
My new favorite seafood: Ceviche
Valparaiso and Vina del Mar were such interesting towns! Not only do they have great views but they also have a strong artistic influence. You would not be able to walk a block without seeing a display of public art. We saw streets filled with colorful murals, heard guitarist play and sing in the metro, and we even watched a hip hop artist film a music video!
Some of the local kids favorite activities is to slide down a steep ramp in the city! (I even joined in and was quite fun!)
Our trip to Isla Negra was just as incredible. We walked along the beaches, ate fried empanadas, and toured through the house of Pable Neruda, a famous Chilean poet!
A few of us were brave enough to go for a swim!
After watching Chile win the Copa America, I tried giving soccer a chance and played with a group of locals and some of my classmates! (Though I don't think I'll be playing for Chile anytime soon...)
I have continued to build my Spanish skills in class and in the hospital. Classroom conversations are so engaging and I continue to meet people from all around the world including: England, Japan, Australia, and Germany just to name a few. I also had the opportunity to research and present on scientific literature in the hospital. I presented on the subject of hepatotoxicity of oncology drugs and interactions between Voriconazole and Cyclosporin. These projects were challenging as I had present to my supervisor in Spanish, but enjoyed learning about its application to Clinical Pharmacology!
