We are glad that we could be a part of Hannah Updegraff’s journey to connect with a new community and got an immersive, hands-on experience during her short-term quest to Chile working with the children in Santiago, Chile.
I’m so glad that I chose Santiago, Chile as the location to do my quest because it has so much to offer. The people were extremely nice, the country was beautiful, and it was a great way to give back to a community while learning more Spanish and seeing another country. I stayed with a Chilean woman named Maggie who made delicious meals (also always had cherries in the fridge, so thanks for that), told amazing stories, and was patient with my understanding of the language. Each day I went to the daycare by bus from 9am-2pm for volunteering. I worked with the younger kids, got to play with them, and taught them words. They were all so adorable and I learned so much about children. Even though it was only a week, I think it still made a difference not only to the kids, but for me. In the end they would sometimes call me ‘Mama’ or ‘Papa.’ It made me realize what a big deal it really was.
Concon Dunes, Chile. Photo by Maicol Narea from Pexels
In addition to volunteering, I had time to explore during the afternoons on weekdays and during the weekend. In Santiago I recommend taking the teleferico up to the top of San Cristobal. It has gorgeous views. Santa Lucia is another park with great views and across the street from that is the Centro Artesanal shops where I found a beautiful leather bag for a reasonable price. I also recommend walking around Barrio Italia and Barrio Lastarria. There are plenty of cute shops and bars. One afternoon, I went to a winery in Santiago called Viña Cousin Macul. I went on a tour there called La Bicicleta Verde, where I got to bike and drink through the vineyards and learn about the piernas in the wine glass. Outside of Santiago, I went to Viña Del Mar, Valparaiso, and Dunas De Concón. Viña had the beach and Valparaiso was very colorful and great for picture taking. I saw Las Dunas De Concón which was breathtaking. At the dunes you can rent a sand board which is fun. On the right of the bus terminal in Viña is a place with the best empanadas I’ve ever tried. It’s the real deal. As far as restaurants in Santiago, Aquí está Coco had the most amazing Ceviche I have ever tried.
Hannah at Embalse El Yeso in Chile. Photo: Hannah Updegraff
The last thing I will recommend is taking a tour of Embalse El Yeso. It’s such a magical place with mountains and water. All in all my quest experience in Chile was amazing and unforgettable. I got a lot out of only ten days and I’m grateful for all of the people I met and the experiences I had.
READ MORE: Ajay in Chile: Finding Confidence in a New Country
If you would like to make an impact not only in the lives of others but also for yourself — just like it was for Hannah — start your journey asap! United Planet offers short-term quests to three other Latin and South America countries like Costa Rica, Peru and Ecuador.
ABOUT UNITED PLANET
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers volunteer abroad, virtual internships, internships abroad, gap year volunteering, and global virtual exchange in more than 40 countries.
