In Chile, I felt that I was treated well and and welcomed into the country. One negative experience that did take place occurred almost immediately after my arrival, and happened because I was clearly a foreigner. Before traveling, I had been informed by my program advisor to be aware of scams at the airport. My transportation had been covered, and I was told that I did not need to tip anyone involved. However, a man who stated he was from the company and helped load my bags into the van not only asked that I tip him, but told me an amount that would be appropriate. I had prepared for my trip by becoming generally aware of the currency conversion, and I knew that what he had suggested was far more than a tip should be. I told him I was sorry, but that I would not be providing a tip and faced no further trouble. This experience made me realize the importance of being a prepared and aware traveler, particularly when you are in a new culture and in situations where you may be an easy target, such as international arrivals at the airport.
Throughout my time in Chile I had many positive experiences, one of which stood out to me. During an orientation, I was talking with my advisor from the program as well as the woman in charge of the shelter. I explained that I was a student at Vanderbilt University, and told them that I was beginning nursing school there in the fall. My advisor explained in spanish to the head of the shelter that Vanderbilt is a very prestigous school. She seemed very impressed and told me how happy they were to have such a smart person volunteer for them. She asked about staying in touch in the future because she knew that I would have connections and access to a great deal of resources. Education has always been very important to me, and I was struck by the immediate respect I was given based upon my attendence at Vanderbilt. I feel very privileged to attend such a wonderful institution and am proud of the hard work that I have completed as a student and of the positive impression that I have earned.
