Our first challenge was to converse with the local farmer about what food we needed, and to negotiate prices. My Spanish was being tested by fast pace and slang. The Latin and Spanish I had studied enabled me to buy the groceries successfully.
When I chose to go to New River Academy I did not realize how broadening my education would be. The cultural, educational, and lingual differences of a traveling school are numerous. One of the projects I felt passionate about was increasing the awareness of the impact of dams, “Sin Represas” or without dams. We made a video interviewing local Chileans about their opinion of damming Chile and I worked on spreading knowledge about the tragic effects of dams.
By living in active volcanic areas in New Zealand and Chile I was able to study a different geological setting. This hands on experience made it exciting to focus on my studies.
By far the best part of traveling is experiencing the local culture. This could be purchasing supplies or conversing about politics. Understanding the history of the Chilean government gave me an appreciation for democracy. The atmosphere combined with a normal class schedule heightened my education.

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