Having tea or coffee before bed wasn’t usually something sophomore Natalia Medina did, but while travelling alone during the summer to Chile, she learned that teatime was nothing more than part of their everyday schedule.
Going to Chile alone for a month, Medina had felt nervous. Despite speaking Spanish her whole life, at home, and at school, Natalia wasn’t used to how they spoke in Chile.
“Chileans talk really fast, so it was hard for me to understand. It was kind of hard at first, especially the first few days, cause I couldn’t really understand everything. There were different sayings, and I was like, wait, what? I had to adjust to it, but once I did, it was way easier,” Medina said.
After overcoming the challenge of how fast people talked, Medina started to become more comfortable, beginning to enjoy her stay more. She started to notice more things around her that were unique to Chile, like fewer cars and more walking, the amount of police, the teasing to show affection, and the vibrant scenery.
“I remember we went to my uncle’s house on the other side of the country, and across the street, right down the road, there was a cliff with a bunch of wooden stairs, and it was a little cave with water. It wasn’t really a cave; it was like a mountain, and then the water would come in. Something like that, but it was more rock, kind of like PV mountains,” Medina said.
Born in Los Angeles, Natalia’s mother, Carla Sevilla, felt that Natalia’s trip to Chile helped Natalia understand what and where everything comes from that she didn’t know before.
“[Family ties abroad] gives kids a better understanding of their parents. Maybe Natalia has a better understanding of the quirky things I say or do now, [because] when she went over there, she saw why I say them, why I am the way I am sometimes, [gaining] a better understanding of your everyday with your parents, [and their] traditions,” Sevilla said
Carla had lived in Chile for a year and a half. When Natalia said she wanted to go, Carla sent her over with the hopes of her daughter seeing how modern the city is. She also wanted her to see how the manners were different and learn how important manners are and why she is a “stickler” about them.
“I had a great experience [in Chile]. I learned and appreciated the differences between living here and living there. I always remain very close to my family, so it was cool to see my kid now be close to my cousins’ kids that I grew up with. It’s a continuing cycle of sending our kids back and forth so they can view the country and spend time with family,” Sevilla said.
Natalia’s trip to Chile over the summer was a month-long, and within that time, she was able to enhance her Spanish-speaking skills and expand her knowledge of her culture. Her stay allowed her to create stronger family bonds and also helped her carry through life with the ability to understand and speak Spanish more confidently.
“I kind of already knew everything. I was more nervous to speak than I am now. I didn’t really talk to that many people in Spanish, only in Spanish class, so I would hold back more, but I’m more confident now,” Medina said. “I feel it helped me to appreciate my culture more. I was always kind of proud of it, but I actually feel it’s a part of me now.
