Chile – Volunteers Reviews

Testimonial Arlene Rosenbaum Chile La Serena Teaching Program

webmaster — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 20:01:16 +0000

Chile La Serena, In La Serena people, were very nice. I was always offered a seat on a crowded bus. Also, people were very helpful when I asked for directions in spite of language barriers.

Volunteer in Chile La Serena Teaching Program

Full name (first and last): Arlene Rosenbaum

What do you do (study or work, where): retired

Where are you from (city and country): Rohnert Park, California USA

1.1.- Why did you choose to volunteer in Chile La Serena, what program(s) are you doing and why?

Why Chile: I have a friend who lived in Chile and he recommended it. Also to improve my Spanish.

What program: teaching English

Why this program: I do some tutoring and I like children.

2. What was the most surprising thing you experienced while in the program?

Program: How respectful and friendly the students at the school are.

Host Family: How open they were to make me feel welcome and included.

Country: Chile has many of the same social issues as the US: immigration, cost of education, cost of health care, industry versus environment, legalization of marijuana.

One thing that surprised me about Santiago was how many demonstrations and protests there are. It seems like I saw or heard about a demonstration several times a week, on a variety of issues.

Also, I was surprised that I could see penguins in the northern part of the country at Isla Damas.

3. What was the most difficult thing you experienced while in the program?

Program: My lack of Spanish skills made it difficult for me to interact with the students in spite of their efforts to communicate with their limited English.

Host Family: My lack of Spanish skills made it difficult to communicate with the host family in spite of their efforts with their limited English.

Country: My lack of Spanish skills made it difficult to communicate with others in spite of their efforts.

4. Any tips for future volunteers….

Clothing: La Serena was colder in autumn than I expected based on the temperature, because the humidity is always very high, something like San Francisco.

Sightseeing: There are many beautiful places to see. From Santiago, I took a day tour to the Andes with Isto E Chile – Embalse El Yeso, which was very good.

Also, from La Serena I took a tour to Isla Damas where I saw penguins, sea lions, pelicans, and cormorants. Sometimes you can also see dolphins. My host family arranged this locally, which was much cheaper than the tours available online. However, I was the only English speaker in the tour group, but the guide spoke English.

I did not get a chance to tour the Elqui Valley but that was also highly recommended by my host family.

Donations: I brought several first readers (” I can read” books) in English for the younger students. They were greatly appreciated because they are difficult to find in Chile and are expensive for them. I bought them online from Amazon.

Laundry/internet: I was able to do laundry at the host family for a small fee. The internet worked well at the host family but is limited at the school.

Volunteering in Chile

5. Other things volunteers should know about:

a.- City/town: La Serena seemed like a very nice small city, although rush hour traffic was quite heavy. There is a nice beachfront, although I went in April so it was not beach weather.

b.- Local People: In La Serena people were very nice. I was always offered a seat on a crowded bus. Also, people were very helpful when I asked for directions in spite of language barriers. In Santiago, like other big cities, the friendliness of the people varied quite a bit.

6. Personal Paragraph (volunteer program testimonial), detail as possible:

My volunteer experience to assist English teachers in Chile was challenging but rewarding. I assisted several different English teachers for classes ranging from 4^thgrade to 12^thgrade. My main function was to speak to them and read aloud so that they could hear American English spoken with an American accent (although their course book was for British English). I also corrected their grammar and spelling when necessary.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well the students were doing. The English curriculum used in the school was quite good, and the English teachers pretty fluent. (The school is a private Catholic school.)

I wish I had been able to participate more in the classroom. Although I had studied Spanish off and on over several years and took Spanish tutoring while I was volunteering, I still struggled to communicate with all but people fluent in English, such as the English teachers, my Spanish tutor, and the university-age daughter of the host family. As a result of my trip, my Spanish has improved immensely, but I am still very far from fluent.

In spite of the language problems, with the help of my hostess, I was able to navigate to and from school by myself, and I was able to generally make myself understood when necessary.

The host family and the students and teachers at the school were very friendly and welcoming. The students were very respectful.

I also very much enjoyed the 2-day tours I took: one to the Andes from Santiago and one to Isla Damas from La Serena.

7. How would you describe your:

Accommodation: The accommodation was fine. I had my own room and bathroom since there were no other volunteers at the time. The bed was comfortable. However, it was quite cold at night so I needed 3 blankets.

Meals (favorite): The vegetarian meals, which I had requested, were excellent. Senora Vilma is a wonderful cook and everything was made with fresh ingredients. My favorites were the homemade peanut butter and banana bread.

Security: I felt quite safe in La Serena walking to and from the bus and walking around downtown. I felt more cautious in Santiago, where I was warned by the hotel manager not to walk around downtown at night.

Host family: The host family was extraordinarily helpful. Senora Vilma rode the bus with me several times to make sure I knew where to get on and off. She also called to arrange a tour for me and came shopping with me for souvenirs She prepared delicious meals every day. The whole family was very friendly and interested in finding out about me, and in explaining Chilean culture to me.

Gap Year Chile

8. What was your memory of this trip?

Program: I assisted several different English teachers for classes ranging from 4^thgrade to 12^thgrade. My main function was to speak to them and read aloud so that they could hear American English spoken with an American accent (although their course book was for British English). I also corrected their grammar and spelling when necessary. The students were all very nice and many made a particular effort to communicate with me, as I did with them. The English teachers were also quite nice and fluent in English.

Country: Chile is very similar to California in some ways: geography, climate, earthquakes. The economic system is similar – basically free market with large agriculture and viticulture sectors – but Chile seems to lack a social safety net. Chile’s culture is also somewhat different with stronger family ties in general than the average Californian.

9. How was the local ABV Coordinator, the staff and the support provided in-country? Be as detailed as possible.

Airport: Senora Vilma was right at the gate of the airport when I arrived. She also took me the airport when I left and helped me check in.

Orientation day: On the first day of school Senora Vilma accompanied me on the bus to the school and introduced me to the head English teacher, who supervised me at the school. She also met me at the school at the end of that day and accompanied me on the bus back to her house.

Daily Support: Senora Vilma was always available to help me with anything I needed, including making tour arrangements for me, coordinating with my Spanish tutor, and accompanying me to shop for souvenirs.

Volunteer Chile La Serena Review Cassidy Metcalf at Orphanage

webmaster — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 19:41:10 +0000

Volunteer Chile, My host family was extremely welcoming and made me feel at home. I went on a trip with them to a national park on Easter and my host mom Silvia took me places around the city. Her kids introduced me to their friends as well.

Volunteer Chile La Serena Orphanage

1.- Why did you choose to volunteer in Chile La Serena, what program(s) are you doing and why?
Why Chile: I wanted to work on my Spanish speaking skills, so I decided to volunteer in a Latin American country. I chose Chile because of the volunteer program it had.
What program: I volunteered for 8 weeks in an Orphanage/ Children’s home
Why this program: I love children and wanted to work with them.

elqui valley

2. What was the most surprising thing you experienced while in the program?
Program: Taking care of kids is pretty similar in Chile as it is in the US. From what I’ve seen there aren’t any wildly different practices.

Host Family: My host mom Silvia was very accommodating of my diet (I’m a vegetarian) and always cooked breakfast for me. I’ll miss that back in the States.

Country: Chile is fairly modern, it’s a lot like the United States. There’s McDonald’s, Domino’s Pizza, Nike and even Walmart. Most people have smartphones, too. One thing to look out for is that you should never flush toilet paper, always throw it away (and have hand sanitizer at all times, because you never know when you’ll need it). Sometimes it felt like I hadn’t left home.

3. What was the most difficult thing you experienced while in the program?
Program: Understanding what people were telling me to do could be difficult at times.

Host Family: I didn’t feel too comfortable when relatives or friends were visiting, so I would hide in my room sometimes, but if you’re very social and know good Spanish, you’ll do fine.

Country: It takes some getting used to, but in Chile, people greet you by touching cheeks and making a kissing sound (some people go for a kiss). The exception is if two males meet, then they shake hands. It definitely felt like my space was being invaded at first, but then I learned to like it.

4. Any tips for future volunteers….
Clothing: If you’re visiting in Spring/ Fall, bring both pants and shorts. I was in Chile from the beginning of March to the end of April. In March, I was wearing shorts/ Capris and a T-shirt and would be fine, April, I needed pants and jacket. Chileans dress more conservatively than Americans, so leave short shorts and low cut shirts at home.

Sightseeing: Plan to do something most weekends. I spent about every other weekend not doing anything because I thought I had more time, and then 8 weeks passed and I wished I had traveled more. I recommend visiting Isla Damas, Pisco Elqui, and Valparaíso. If you can visit the desert or south of Chile, do it. The geography is very different!
Hostels are a great way to save money and meet new people when traveling around.

Donations: The orphanage I worked in got a lot of clothing donations, so don’t worry about that. Diapers, clorox wipes, lotion, toys, and school supplies are all good things to bring. If anything, monetary donations work best, because they can buy what they need.

Laundry/internet: Data plans are relatively cheap in Chile, so if you’re planning on traveling on the weekends, I would get a SIM card while in Chile. Bring powdered detergent so you can do laundry while staying in hostels.

Gap Year Chile

5. Other things volunteers should know about:
a.- City/town: La Serena has some sights to see, like the Japanese Garden and Archaeological Museum. Public transportation is cheap, so take advantage of it and go places. There are a lot of churches (including a Mormon temple and mosque) if you’re religious, but if you’re not, you’ll have no issues here.

b.- Weather: Look up information on the climate of La Serena. Depending on what time of the year, weather conditions will be very different. They don’t get snow here, so it won’t get too cold. I was here in Autumn, brought a rain jacket and didn’t use it a single day. Winter may be a different story.

c.- Local People: There will be people who speak English, so if you get lost there’s bound to be at least one person who can help you if you don’t speak Spanish, but knowing Spanish will help tremendously. If visiting a larger city, watch out for people who will come up to you asking for money, it can be scary/ overwhelming if you aren’t expecting it.

d.- Tours: The Isla Damas tours are good, but only in Spanish unless you go with a private company. Check what time of the year the penguins can be found at the island before visiting.

In Valparaíso and Santiago, a company called Tours4Tips does, you guessed it, tours for tips. The tours are really good and you can learn insider information about the city.

Volunteering in Chile

6. Personal Paragraph (volunteer program testimonial), detail as possible:

This was my first time out of the country. From where my host family lived, it was a half hour walk and half hour bus ride to and from the orphanage, which I used the time to listen to audiobooks. The workers at the orphanage were very nice to me and always asked about my weekend. I loved working with the babies. I wish I had spent time trying to make friends or doing more things in the evenings.

7. How would you describe your:
Accommodation: There were two bed in my room and a TV. I didn’t watch much, but it was nice having it there. The house was your average middle class home and had a good wifi connection.

Meals (favorite): I ate so many vegetables while in Chile, my body is very happy about that. I loved sopapilla pasada, an amazing dessert that’s found in Northern Chile. Tomatoes and cheese cooked in the microwave oven. It sounds simple, but is amazingly delicious.

Security: if you’re worried about securing your stuff you can bring locks and a money belt- both things I recommend anyway for when staying in hostels or walking around big cities. I always felt safe, although I wasn’t out at night often.

Host family: My host family was extremely welcoming and made me feel at home. I went on a trip with them to a national park on Easter and my host mom Silvia took me to places around the city. Her kids introduced me to their friends as well.

8. What was your memory of this trip?
Program: The orphanage was definitely not what I expected, the tías were great and everything was very secure.

Host Family I am going to miss my host family when I go home. They were so kind to me and had amazing food! I’m bringing a new found love of vegetables and tea with me.

Country: The architecture of Chile is really pretty and different from where I live. You won’t find any red brick houses here. The landscape is also very diverse and sometimes it felt like I was on another planet.

9. How was the local ABV Coordinator, the staff and the support provided in-country?
Vilma was welcoming and showed me around the city sometimes. She gave me advice and information when I wanted to visit other parts of the region. There’s a lot of support if you need it, but they can also be hands off if you’re looking to be very independent.