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.

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Volunteer in Chile Feedback Nick Lauer Teaching Program

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

Volunteer in Chile: My school offers a program that funds international service trips every summer and I have wanted to do one for a long time. Volunteers in this program are encouraged to find new countries that have not been visited by previous volunteers and hence I settled on a few options. The reason that I picked Chile out of all of these options as my destination is that it is a Spanish speaking country that is relatively safe and stable. The government is in control and unlike some other South American countries, foreigners run very little risk of danger.

What program: I am in the Education program where I teach Chilean students in their English classes. In this program, I go with different English teachers and teach many different sets of students throughout the course of my day. My work consists mostly of helping give lessons, answering questions, offering support with activities and, more generally, engaging the students in their learning of English.

Why this program: I chose to do this because I think that I am friendly, positive, and work well with kids and that this would be the best use of my abilities. Other programs such as the orphanage or elderly care center were also options, but because of my proficiency in English, I thought I could offer the most help through the Education program.

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

Volunteering Program: I was initially told that I would be working with younger children around the ages of 4 to 5 in a kindergarten-type setting where I would be teaching numbers, colors, basic grammar, etc. While I did teach a few younger classes (one 3rd grade and one 5th grade), I spent the majority of my time with 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th graders. While this wasn’t what I was expecting, I was glad to work with people similar to my age and I actually found it to be easier to relate to the students.

Volunteer Chile La Serena from A Broader View on Vimeo.

Host Family: I was surprised at how easily I was able to assimilate into everyday life with my host family. My host mother welcomed me and made me feel at home and spoke slow, understandable Spanish that allowed me to join in the conversation. I found that I could consistently have a meaningful discussion with my host family which was critical to feeling at home in a new country. Mealtimes were just like at my house and my host mother was always willing to ask me questions to stimulate conversation. Furthermore, my host mother was constantly looking out for my needs, a privilege that I was not expecting.

Country: While I had read in other reviews about the dialect here in Chile and how it is both riddled with slang and also quite fast, I was still a little surprised by just how different it was from the Spanish I had been learning in school. While this was initially a source of concern, Vilma was great at talking slowly and clearly for me, and other Chileans are happy to do so if you politely ask them to do so. In my time here, I quickly got used to the Spanish and for volunteers who are ready and willing to improve their language skills, the new dialect should not be a problem.

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

Volunteer Program: I came to Chile in a time where the kids in my school were at the end of their semester and were therefore not learning new material. I had hoped that my program would entail some teaching of new content, but this seemed not to be the case. However, this was something beyond my control, the control of A Broader View, or even the teachers.

With this lack of opportunity to teach, I had to take initiative to help the children in any review activities that they were doing and found myself constantly trying to find a place where I could be of assistance. Ultimately, I think that I effectively used my time and made a difference in an area other than purely teaching.

Host Family: I really did not find anything difficult about my host family. My host mother was absolutely wonderful and made everything easy.

Country: Again, I found the language barrier to be the most difficult thing for me in Chile. While the conversation with my host family was good, with other people I often had to ask for them to repeat themselves two or three times and much slower (grant it, the Chileans were happy to do so). While I got by fine, I think that conversing with everyday people and talking to native speakers was something I found to be difficult and something I tried to overcome during the course of my stay.

4. Any tips for future volunteers….

Clothing: I (along with many of the other volunteers who have come before me) recommend that you bring warm clothing on your volunteer trip to Chile. I came in the winter time here (June-July) and high temperatures were usually in the 50-60 °F range. While this may seem manageable, without sun it can be quite cold, and I recommend that you bring a heavy winter jacket as well as some lighter sweatshirts and pullovers.

The low temperatures usually dipped into the 40s and occasionally into the high 30s. Without heating, which virtually all buildings in La Serena lack, this can be quite cold and I highly suggest that you bring a hat, gloves, warm socks, heavy jackets, sweatpants/jeans, and other warm clothing.

Sightseeing: I personally loved my visits to the Elqui Valley (Valle Elqui) and Isla Damas. These are two of the most popular tourist attractions in the La Serena area and your host family will most likely recommend these to you. I second that recommendation and found these two places to be some of the highlights of my trip. In addition, visiting the neighboring city of Coquimbo is a nice ½-day excursion and the Cross of the Third Millennia is a unique landmark that I suggest everyone should see.

Donations: I bought a small gift (little American flags) to my school and they were very well received by the students. I gave them to 5th-grade students, whose faces lit up when I told them I had a gift. I think that bringing a small gift/handout is a good idea but not necessary. Also, check with your program to make sure you are allowed to hand out gifts.

Laundry/internet: The laundry and internet in my home were incredibly easy. I paid up front for the internet which cost about $10.000 Chilean pesos for 3 weeks ($15 USD) and the connection was pretty good. For laundry, I paid at the end, after seeing how many loads I need to do in total (I only did 2) and it costs $3000 Chilean pesos for every use ($1.50).

My host mother was great in helping me with the laundry and even did it for me one time when I was away on a tour (not something you should expect).

5. Other things volunteers should know about:

a.- City/town: The town is quite safe, at least during the daytime, and I think it is during the nighttime as well (I never was downtown during the night.) The neighboring city of Coquimbo is a slightly poorer area but common-sense practices should get you through 100% fine. One thing to note is that the walk from the host house to the program could be significant.

In my case it was about a 35-minute walk to the school I was working at but I am sure this varies from program to program. Make sure to either become comfortable with public transportation or a moderately long walk in the morning and afternoon.

b.- Weather: As mentioned before, pack accordingly and plan for cool/cold temperatures. If you bring the right clothes, you will be good but failure to pack properly could result in some cold days and nights. In terms of rain, the winter doesn’t have that much rain, but a safe play would be to pack a rain jacket or other waterproof material just in case. (It only rained once, and that was the day I got here). You can always buy locally sweaters (alpaca at the Recova or a jacket at the mall)

c.- Local People: Again, the local people are great and are willing to help you understand their language. One precaution that I recommend is having a member of your host family come with you to buy street goods the first time if you are not fluent in Spanish just to make sure that nobody is ripping you off and that you know the ropes of how to negotiate a price in a different language.

If you are not buying any products (such as goods at La Recova) then this a non-issue but if you plan on doing so, considering asking your host mother or father to come with you.

d.- Tours: As previously mentioned, I took a tour to the Elqui Valley as well as Isla Damas which I absolutely loved. I highly recommend doing both of these tours, but they are not necessary, and there are plenty of other tours available. I also recommend a nighttime tour to Mamalluca Observatory in the Elqui Valley which has some of the clearest night skies in the world.

The tourism industry is definitely big here in La Serena and there are many options for your weekends. Vilma or your host mom can help you set up whatever tour you need as well as giving you suggestions if you would like to go to other places on the weekends.

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

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time here in Chile. It was an eye-opener for me to see a new culture, a new language, and a new way of life. I learned so much in my three weeks here and wish I could have stayed longer. My Spanish has vastly improved and I have learned things about teaching children that I never realized would be needed. I have formed connections with people here that are going to last for a long time and I hope that I have left a lasting impression on those who I taught and worked with. While I did not expect to be doing the sort of work that I ended up doing, I think that I utilized my skills by helping the teachers with what they needed in the circumstances that I was put into.

I think that if I were to do this again I would probably want to stay for a longer period of time because these three weeks went by so quickly and there’s so much more than I want to do here. I have accomplished my goals with this project and feel that I have expanded my world as well as helping to enhance the world of the children and teachers who I worked with. I will never forget my time here in Chile and I look forward to continuing my service in the years to come.

7. How would you describe your:

Accommodation: My accommodations were quite nice. My host mother had a large house with lots of rooms and a separate area for the volunteers to live. I was alone when I was here, so I had a lot of space to myself as well as my own bathroom which was quite nice. The bed was warm, which was great whenever the nights were pretty cold here without Heating, and there were plenty of blankets if I got cold. My room and bathroom were always clean, and Vilma made sure that she took great care of me my belongings and the house in general.

Meals (favorite): The food here is plentiful and delicious. My host mother consistently made great meals with a wide variety of foods and always took into account what foods I liked and avoided those that I did not. My host mother was a good cook and always made more than enough food for me so that I would not go hungry.

Some of my favorite meals include the chicken empanadas, a classic dish from Chile, as well as the corn soup that by host mother made. I got to try a lot of new foods and expand my palate to some of the traditional Chilean dishes, drinks, and condiments.

Security: Security was not an issue for me here in Chile. I never felt threatened or in the slightest bit insecure and the downtown area as well as my house were completely safe. At night, I could walk around my neighborhood without any concerns and did not feel unsafe in the slightest bit. I had heard that the neighboring city of Coquimbo was a little less safe, but I cannot confirm this because I never spent a lot of time there.

Host family: The members of my host family were some of the most caring, compassionate, and thoughtful people that I have ever known. They were always checking on me to make sure that I was okay and genuinely cared about my well-being here in Chile. They always made sure that I was fed, rested and ready to go for the day and also help integrate me into Chilean culture. By offering a meaningful conversation at the dinner table and opening my eyes to new information about Chile they made me feel at home here in a city far from home.

8. What was your memory of this trip?

Program: My favorite memory of the program during my trip was my last day when I was with the 5th graders. On this day they had already finished their exams and had a free period. We played games where I taught them English words through a variety of different activities and I also handed them out some little American flags. Seeing the joy on their faces and seeing them jump up and down during the games was incredible as well as knowing that some of the games we were playing were actually teaching them words in English. This was a great experience and I will remember it for a long time.

Host Family My favorite memory with my host family was probably when we went to Coquimbo. My host mother’s husband, my host father, was home for 4 days after returning from his work. We took a driving tour of some parts of Coquimbo and stopped at an old pirate fort. This was really exciting, and we saw some penguins and other wildlife as well as getting to see the old ruins and a cannon. After this, we ventured up to the giant Cross statue that is in the middle of Coquimbo and I went up it in an elevator and got to see the view of the top. This was incredible, and I was able to see all of La Serena as well as Coquimbo and out over the Pacific Ocean and I got to share this experience with my host family.

Country: It is difficult for me to pick a single best moment from my entire trip in Chile, One thing that really stood out to me was my visit to Elqui Valley. This was an amazing tour where I got to see some of the different geographies and different cultures of Chile. We stopped at an indigenous pueblo where some indigenous tribes still live, we ate fresh grapes off of the vine and we stopped at a great restaurant where we ate traditional Chilean food with tradition Chilean drinks. There was so much great scenery – rivers, mountains, plants, Wildlife – and it was truly an amazing experience.

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

The local support staff was incredible in helping me to adjust to the Chilean society and get situated with my program. The coordinator, Vilma, was also my host mother, and she was great at organizing tours, setting me up with the school, getting me acquainted with the city, and so much more. On my flight into the country, my layover was delayed by four hours and I ended up missing a connecting flight to La Serena. Vilma and the A Broader View staff were great in adjusting to this setback and responded quickly to emails with pragmatic solutions. I found my experience to be smooth, easy, and without too much stress. This was a testament to the program design as well as the in-country support by Vilma and others.

Other reviews to read:

Volunteer Chile

Volunteer in Chile

I’m a student at Cary high school. I’m from Cary, North Carolina, USA.

I chose to volunteer in chile to help the school in there attempts to become a more bilingual population. I wanted to practice my Spanish as rigorously as I could and I had been informed that Chile is notorious for its Spanish being more complex.

The host family was very nice and I found it very surprising how alike we were in terms of political and social views. I was able to have several discussions with them about how the politics in Chile were similar to those in the United States.

One thing I found difficult was learning how to use the public transportation. Me and Adrienne would spend up to and hour in the cold mornings searching for a “taxi-colectivo” that wasn’t full. Not having air conditioning was another thing I had to get used to.

I recommend that other volunteers pack warmer clothes. Its usually 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature doesn’t change much throughout the week. During the week ends I would recommend going to places like isla damas. Volunteers should really take advantage of the days they have off.

Volunteering in Chile

My accommodations were very pleasing and I was very satisfied. Silvia, our host mom was a very good cook and I was always looking forward to what she had prepared for us. I loved her rice. I’m not a fan of fish but Silvia made the best fried fish I have ever had. I never felt like I was in danger so I don’t have anything to complain about when it comes to my security. My host family was amazing and I didn’t miss my family at home since I had them for company and they made me feel comfortable in my new home.

My local coordinator, Vilma was amazing. She made sure we had things to do on our days off. I didn’t really feel the need to ask her for any assistance, but I was confident that if I needed anything that I could depend on her.

Why Chile: I chose Chile because it is the safest country in South America

What program: orphanage

Why this program: I have always been interested in working with kids and I wanted to help and support children who need it the most

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

Program: I wasn’t really sure how hard it is to watch and entertain all the kids at the same time and how well they are taken care of.

Host Family: My host family was super nice, I felt very comfortable and I really liked the food!

Country: I didn’t expect Chile to be so European, I have been to Costa Rica before, so I was hoping for a little bit more South America flair…

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

Program: It was sometimes hard to know how to deal with the kids because I didn’t  know what they were allowed to do.

Country: I thought it would be way warmer than it was… And at first the public transport system can be challenging

4. Any tips for future volunteers….

Clothing: warm clothes!!

Sightseeing: Isla de Damas, weekend trip to Valparaíso

Laundry/internet: Has to be paid separately (described in website, guides)

5. Other things volunteers should know about:

a.- City/town: It is nice, but there is not so much going on there, the mall is ok and there is a cinema, the Beach is far away (4 miles) , but cool

b.- Weather: in the morning it is always chill and cloudy and during the day it normally clears up and gets (more or less) warm (Spring time)

c.- Local People: the locals are very friendly and helpful, but also shy and mostly don’t know any english

d.- Tours: Isla de Damas is nice and a trip to Valparaíso!

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

This was the second time I volunteered and I am really Grateful for this wonderful experience. The orphanage is far and not even in La Serena it took me normally at least 45 min by bus (traffic its 8 miles from the house) to get there… I really enjoyed playing, feeding, helping the kids it is such a nice (and sometimes exhausting) work. In the evening I normally went to the gym where I made some really good friends! Now, I am looking forward to traveling around and get to see more of Chile! :)

7. How would you describe your:

Accommodation: It was really nice, I had my own room and shared a bathroom.

Meals (favorite): I loved them all, after eating  rice and beans for 2 months I was really Grateful for all the delicious food I got served!

Security: I always felt very secure, Chile is Nummer 29 worldwide from the safest countries (US is number 94)

Host family: My host Family was very very nice, I got along very well with them, especially Vilma always made me feel welcome!

8. What was your memory of this trip?

Program: I loved all the kids, everyone we and unique! The “tias” do an excellent job with the kids, half of the time I even forgot that it was an orphanage….

Host Family always friendly, helped me with everything I needed, we talked a lot in Spanish so I could improve my Spanish skills

Country: Chile is a very interesting country, 4000km long (which I definitely underestimated), long history and worth a trip:)

9. How was the local ABV Coordinator, the staff and the support provided in-country:

very good, I didn’t need any special help, but I am sure it would have been provided kindly

Volunteer Chile

1.- Hi Tell us about you:

I am 19 years old, my mother language is french and I live in Ottawa, Canada.
What do you do (study or work, where): I study Public Relations at the University of Ottawa and I am a receptionist in an oral and maxillofacial surgery clinic in Ottawa.
Where are you from (city and country): Ottawa, Canada

1.1.- Why did you choose to volunteer in Chile La Serena, what program(s) are you doing and why?
Why Chile: J’ai décidé d’aller au Chili car ABV me l’a recommandé lorsque j’ai choisi le programme d’orphelinat. Nous voulions aller au Péru mais il n’y avait pas assez de place pour mes 4 amies et moi. Je voulais aussi vraiment voyager un pays dans l’Amérique du Sud vu que je vis dans l’Amérique du Nord. Un des mes plus grand but était d’acquérir de nouvelles connaissances au sujet d’une différente culture et j’envisagais faire cela au Chili.
What program: J’ai travaillé dans le programme d’oprhelinat dans la ville de La Serena, au Chili.
Why this program: J’ai choisi ce programme puisque je voulais travailler avec les bébés et les enfants. De plus, je voulais travailler dans un endroit qui me sensibilisais. Ceci dit, j’ai choisi ce programme car aider les enfants qui en ont le plus de besoin me tient à coeur.

2. What was the most surprising thing you experienced while in the program? 
Volunteer Abroad Program: Selon moi, la chose la plus surprenante du programme a été que il n’y avait pas beaucoup de bébé et qu’il y a fallu travailler dans une école aussi. Nous n’avions pas été prévenues qu’il n’y avait pas assez de bébés pour mes amies et moi et qu’il fallait se séparer donc, nous avions été prises par surprise.
Host Family: Selon moi, la chose la plus surprenante de ma famille d’acceuil était qu’il y avait emplement de place pour mes amies et moi (nous étions 5 en tout). Nous pouvions dormir et se préparer confortablement sans être dans nos propres jambes.
Country: Selon moi, la chose la plus surprenante du Chili était que presque personne ne parlais anglais. Il était dur pour moi de comprendre, pour une personne qui est complètement bilingue, que pas beaucoup de gens où que nous avons restez ne parlaient que l’espaniol.

3. What was the most difficult thing you experienced while in the program? 
Gap Year Program: La chose la plus difficile que j’ai experiencé durant le programme à l’oprhelinat était que j’ai été séparé de mes amies. Il est plus facile de s’adapter à de nouvelles culture et à une langue (qui est pour nous inconnue) en groupe.
Host Family: La chose la plus difficile que j’ai experiencé avec ma famille d’acceuil était la planification des excursions et du transport. Vu que nous n’avions qu’une base d’espaniol et que notre mère d’acceuil ne parle juste que l’espaniol, il peut y avoir beaucoup de confusion.
Country: La chose la plus difficile que j’ai experiencé au Chili était que mes amies et moi n’avions qu’une base de connaissance en espaniol. Il était très dur de communiquer avec la communauté vu que la plupart d’entre eux sont unilingues.

4. Any tips for future volunteers….
Clothing: Un de mes conseils pour les vêtements serait de ne pas pacter trop légèrement… Un autre serait de vraiment pacter en guise de la température; Nous avions froid la nuit vu qu’il n’y avait pas de chauffage dans la maison.
Sightseeing: Un conseil que je donnerais pour les excursions serait de faire ceux dont ta famille d’acceuil te recommande et de planifier d’avance. Il est important de savoir où tu vas et dans quoi tu t’embarques lorsque tes dans un autres pays que ton pays natal.
Donations: Un conseil que je donnerais pour les charités seraient de t’informer correctement des éléments de ton programme avant d’acheter quoi que ce soit. J’était avertie qu’il y avait beaucoup de bébés à l’orphelinat et non beaucoup de “toddlers”. Ceci dit, j’ai acheté pleins se suces et de linge de bébés et cela ne leurs étaient pas super avantageux.
Laundry/internet: Un conseil que je donnerais face à l’internet et au lavage est d’apporter de l’argent en guise de ceux-ci. Nous avons été chargées pour l’internet et le lavage (nous nous en attendions) mais, nous avions assez d’argent pour payer ceux-ci.

5. Other things volunteers should know about: 
a.- City/town: Quelque chose que les volontaires doivent garder en tête en pensant à la ville de La Serena est qu’il eat nécéssaire d’avoir une bonne base d’espaniol. La communauté de la Serena parle extrêmement vite et il est difficile de les comprendre.
b.- Weather: Quelque chose que les volontaires doivent garder en tête par rapport à la météologie est que il peut faire très froid dans les maison vu qu’il fait dans les alentours de 10°C et qu’il n’y a pas de chauffage dans les maisons.
c.- Local People: Quelque chose d’important à garder en tête par rapport au gens de la communauté de La Serena est qu’il y a beaucoup de gens dans les rues qui essait de vendre des choses mais, ils sont très chaleureux.
d.- Tours: Quelque chose d’important à garder en tête par rapport aux excursions est qu’il faut vraiment planifier d’avance et de prévoir un budget. Les excursions peuvent être plus chères que prévues.

Volunteering in Chile

6. Personal paragraph (volunteer program testimonial), detail as possible: 
J’ai fait mon bénévolat dans un orphelinat et j’ai travailler pendant deux semaine aux côté des éducatrices avec 9 “toddlers”. Il n’y avait pas le même nombre d’enfants à tous les jours mais il y avait quand même toujours quelque chose à faire. Au début la communication entre les educatrices et moi était vraiment difficile parce qu’elles parlaient très vite et elles n’étaient pas habituées en parler en guise de ma compréhension. Elles se fâchaient vite lorsqu’elles voulaient que je fasse une certaine tâche et que je ne les comprennaient pas. Il y a fallu utiliser google translate souvent ce que je trouvais une perte de temps. Cela c’est beaucoup améliorer après 2 jours. D’un autre côté, j’ai adoré travailler avec les enfants; j’étais contente d’apprendre qu’ils ont pleins d’appuis et qu’il y a beaucoup de gens qui prennent bien soins d’eux. J’ai adoré mes deux semaines dans l’orphelinat, les enfants était adorables!

7. How would you describe your: 
Accommodation: Mes amies et moi étions super bien accomodées par notre mère d’acceuil. Il y avait assez de place pour nous tous, elle était une excellante cuisinière et elle prenait soin de nous comme si nous étions ses propres filles.
Meals (favorite): Je suis une personne extrêmement difficile et j’ai adoré tout les mêts que notre mère d’acceuil nous a fait. Elle prenait en considérations tout les aspects différent des goûts de mes amies et moi.
Security: Je me considèrais en pleine sécurité dans la maison de ma famille d’acceuil, dans la ville et dans l’orphelinat en tant que tel. Je ne me suis jamais senti en danger et il y a des clôtures partout.
Host family: Ma famille d’acceuil était extrêmement chaleureuse et acceuillante. Notre mère d’acceuil a tout fait pour nous accomoder et elle prenait soins de nous comme nous étions ses propres filles. Depuis notre arrivée, elle a tout fait pour qu’on soit le plus confortable que possible. Je l’ai adorée!

8. What was your memory of this trip? 
Volunteer Program: Un de mes souvenirs de ce programme était les enfants en tant que tels! Ils étaient adorables! Ils se comportaient vraiment bien et cela me brisait le coeur de penser qu’ils étaient des oprhelins.
Host Family: Un des mes meilleurs souvenirs de ma famille d’acceuil était que nous avions toujours des fous rires avec notre mère d’acceuil. Cela nous rapprochait énormément et j’étais vraiment choyée de pouvoir la faire rire malgré notre différence de langue.
Country: Un de mes meilleurs souvenirs du Chili était que les gens sont super chaleureux malgré le fait que plusieurs d’entre eux ne parlent que l’espaniol et que je le parle pas. Ils essayaient quand même de m’aider le plus que possible.

9. How was the local ABV Coordinator, the staff and the support provided in-country? Be as detailed as possible.
Airport: When we got to the airport in La Serena, it was very easy for us to find our ABV coordinator. The only hickup was that we they didn’t have enough space in the car to fit all of us and our luggage so some of my friends had to wait for another ride. The house was just 5 minutes away.
Orientation day: On orientation day, we had gotten a tour from our host mom and it was perfect! She showed us the best restaurants, the beach and the safest spots around the centre of the town! It really helped us coordinate our plans better.
Daily Support: In the past two weeks, we have gotten a lot of support from our host mom. She helped us with literally anything! She gave us medication when we got sick, she gave us a lot of rides and she was always optimistic!

10. How was the information you received from ABV prior to traveling? (Emails, website, support) was there anything missing or should be included to prepare other volunteers?  

Je crois que ABV nous a vraiment aidé à organiser notre voyage, tout était préparé pour nous (logement, organisation, programme, etc.); Cela était merveilleux et je n’ai rien à recommander! Il a été facile de voyager.

11. Are you willing to speak to other potential ABV volunteers about your volunteer experience? 
Oui, je suis prête à parler à des bénévoles d’ABV potentiels à propos de mon expérience au Chili avec ma famille d’acceuil, le programme, la sécurité, la nourriture, les transports, etc. …

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Volunteer Chile: Teaching Program

1. How was the local ABV Coordinator/staff and the support provided in-country? Volunteer Chile: The local ABV Coordinator was amazing and incredibly helpful. My coordinator, Vilma, always was there if needed. She was always checking in with me to see how I was doing, and would contact me immediately if any issues or concerns arose.

2. What was the most surprising thing you experienced?
   1. Host Family: My host family was first of all amazing. Silvia and Obriel, along with their four kids, created some of my best memories of my trip. The most surprising thing I found out about my host family was their lifestyle, and the lack of heat in the house. At night, it got cold.
   2. Country: The most surprising thing I experienced in the country as a whole was how helpful everyone was, even though most people didn’t speak English.
3. What was the most challenging thing you experienced?
   1. Host Family: The language barrier was the most challenging thing I experienced with my host family. Chileans speak incredibly fast, and it is sometimes hard to understand simple words due to the cultural differences of the language.
   2. Program: The most challenging part of the program in total was not the teaching aspect, but actually the transportation here in Chile. I took a colectivo, or shared cab, everyday from my host family’s house to the school where I worked. My first week using the colectivo was hard for me, because only certain colectivos take you where you want to go. Then once you have the right colectivo, you then need to tell the driver where you would like to go. Many times, the driver would not know where I would want to go, and I would have to describe the area. It was during my second week, when I realized the best way was to ask the driver if they knew where your desired destination was, before you got into the car. This made things much easier. After learning how to use the colectivos, they became second nature. (Always take the same numbers on the top of each colectivo they have specific numbers for specific routes)
4. Any tips for future volunteers…( clothing, travel, personal items, donations)
   1. Bring layers if you are staying during the winter that you can travel in, as well as sleep in.
   2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, people in Chile are very friendly.
   3. Try your best to talk to locals, they provide great insight on the city and culture alike.
   4. Visit the Elqui Valley, I went with two other ABV volunteers and it was wonderful.
   5. Make friends here, they can help you experience more of the city.
5. Other things volunteers should know before coming here: (that’s not in the ABV orientation guide)
   1. It get very cold during the night, pack layers.
   2. Make sure to practice your basic Spanish phrases just to have a means of communication, but don’t worry if you are not fluent.

6. Personal paragraph about the experience (ABV Program Testimonial):

I absolutely loved my experience in La Serena as a whole and working at the Colegio (school). I experienced many different areas of the culture traveling all over the area with other ABV volunteers and friends that I made at the school. It was an incredible opportunity that I learned so much from. A Broader View was great, I will defiantly use them for any future trips.What was your favorite memory on this trip?

1. One night we had a barbeque where we all sat around the grill talking and eating amazing food.
2. Experiencing the city with my friends, and walking on the beach while sunset.

8. How was the ABV USA support prior traveling?

They were great, I had no problems. Volunteer Chile

Teaching Program in Chile