Wrapping Up Our Trip

An unforgettable two weeks has come to end. Many of us are exhausted but no one will disagree that this was the trip of a lifetime. From our first group dinner in Buenos Aires, to our last hours spent relaxing by the pool and zip lining Chile, there was never a dull moment. Unknown faces became close friends and in some cases even considered family. We came into this trip with an open mind and left with an abundance of knowledge of other cultures which could only be obtained by visiting them.

One of the most eye opening experiences we had was visiting the Hogar el Alba orphanage on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. While many of us have our struggles in life such as money, family or personal matters, we all still have the privilege to be attending a private university with food, a warm place to sleep at night and a great education. When visiting the orphanage, many of us were hit with the reality that not everyone has a fair shot in life. These children did not have families that could support them and had the bare essentials to live. Something as simple as a soccer ball or spending some time with them made their days. Language barriers did not stop the smiles on the children's faces. While this was a sobering event it also gave us a better appreciation for our lives at home.

While Buenos Aires was an amazing place to be, Uruguay was a much needed vacation day. After going nonstop for almost a week, visiting Colonia del Sacramento was the break we all needed. A tranquil, quiet and beautiful place which left smiles on all of our faces. Christina Pearl was sitting outside of a restaurant overlooking the water and said "I am going to get married in this exact spot." That pretty much sums up this little beach town in Uruguay. We were all reluctant to get back on the ferry saying "Can we just stay here for the rest of the time?"

One of the best days we had was spent on the beaches of Vina del Mar, Chile. It felt more like the beaches on the California coast than South America. A fun day in the sun filled with smiles and tans but mostly sunburns. Many of us had the privilege of swimming in the chilly waters of the Pacific Ocean for the first time in our lives and we were in the perfect place to do it. The beaches were sandy and clean and if you were to get an appetite for either food or shopping there were plenty of options for that only a few yards from your beach towel. A day where much of the group was together and making memories. "This is day was exactly what we needed," said Tyler Adkins.

While these three events were highlights of the trip, every day was an unforgettable experience. It is with a heavy heart that I have to say this trip has to come to an end. However, lifelong friendships and memories have only just begun. We may be home now but our group chats and Snapchats have been busier than ever. This can be seen with the text sent this morning from Abigail Joncas. "Everyone I really miss you all and today when I actually got to sleep in, I wished I had been woken up by Srdan's phone call even if I did want to sleep in the rest of the day. Miss all our adventures, songs, pisco sours, karaoke bars, late nights, and hot tub parties! Thanks you for making this trip the best time of my life, I can't wait to see all of you at school!"
-This is Bryant SIE Latin America signing off. Adios!

Final Flights & Goodbyes

The past two weeks have been an incredible, unforgettable experience for every single one of us. After spending the day adventuring, we loaded up our bus for one last ride to the airport. After a smooth check-in process, we found our way to the gate. We said goodbye to Santiago and took off for Dallas around 10:45pm Chilean time. Upon arriving in Dallas at 4:30am, we went through our final round of customs and found some breakfast. My classmate, Madi Mastrianni, said to me, "Even after two amazing weeks, it feels so good to be back home in the United States". After a four hour layover, we headed to the gate to board our final flight to Boston.

Classmates Erica J. & Madi M. ready to board for Boston!

Compared to our first 9 hour flight, the 3 hour flight to Boston felt like no time at all. We arrived safe and sound around 4pm Eastern time, totaling an almost 24 hour travel day. Ashley Antonelli exclaimed "I'm so thankful for the new family and friends that I made on SIE, but I am so happy to finally see my parents". I think we could all agree with her on that statement. We all said our goodbyes and headed home. A final thank you to all the faculty, tour guides, and students who have made this trip one to remember!

Adios, SIE 2019!

Reflection and Rejoice on the Final Day

We spent the last day of our trip at Cascada de las Animas. Like many of our other experiences throughout this journey, we were given the opportunity to learn by challenging ourselves, trying something new, and to choosing our own path. This morning, we were given the option to either go trekking up the mountain for an hour and a half or to relax by the pool during this time. While many students chose to relax by the pool, those who chose trekking were rewarded with the experience of a lifetime.

Before we embarked on our journey up the mountains to see el Bosque Escleróflo,Cascada de las Animas, and Cascade del Colibrí, Rodrigo, one of the three experts joining us on the hike, gave us a brief overview of what to expect. In his talk, he mentioned many of the flora and fauna the we could expect to find throughout the area and possibly during our hike. Everyone’s hearts began to race at the mention of one fauna: a puma! Excitement, fear, or a combination of both rushed through the group of students as we commenced the trek and began walking up the mountain.

The cage of one of the two pumas that the students were able to see on the trek.